Northumberland rheumatoid arthritis patients in treatment trial
People with rheumatoid arthritis in Northumberland are to take part in a clinical trial of ultrasound imaging which could lead to improved treatment for fellow patients around the UK.
Dr David Kane, a consultant rheumatologist based at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and Hexham General Hospital in Northumberland has been awarded a two-year-grant of £115,398 by the Arthritis Research Campaign to try to prove the effectiveness of using ultrasound imaging of joints during steroid injections.
Currently only rheumatology departments in centres of excellence such as the Freeman Hospital use ultrasound routinely for diagnostic and treatment purposes on arthritis patients. Many smaller district general hospitals have yet to follow suit, often deterred by the cost of ultrasound machines, which can cost anywhere between £15,000 and £120,000.
Steroid injections are a very common treatment for inflamed joints in many types of arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, and are considered to be safe and effective.
However, studies have shown that they are injected in the wrong place in nearly half of patients which reduces the effectiveness of the injection.
"Using ultrasound imaging may be one solution to this problem, as it allows the joint cavity and the injection needle to be seen during joint injections, thus improving accuracy," explained Dr Kane, whose academic base is in the University of Newcastle's school of clinical medical science.
Dr Kane and his colleagues will perform a clinical trial to compare joint injections, with and without using ultrasound, on more than 250 RA patients in Northumberland.
"At the moment ultrasound imaging is only used in a limited number of rheumatology departments, but if there was a clear indication that steroid injections are delivered far more effectively when ultrasound is used there would be a firm argument that ultrasound machines should be funded in rheumatology departments in most hospitals, added Dr Kane. "This would lead to more accurate and potentially more effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients, which makes good economic sense too."
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory, potentially crippling form of joint disease which affects more than 350,000 people in the UK. The Arthritis Research Campaign (arc) is the fourth largest medical research charity in the UK, with Newcastle a leading centre of arc-funded research.
