Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to explore the relationship between the degree of illness in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and parameters of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) and its clinical value. METHODS: The clinical data of 100 elderly patients with RA admitted to our hospital from May 2016 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into four groups, including the remission group (DAS28 ≤ 2.6, n = 25), low activity group (2.6 ≤ DAS28 ≤ 3.2, n = 25), middle activity group (3.2 ≤ DAS28 ≤ 5.1, n = 25), and high activity group (DAS > 5.1, n = 25) according to the disease activity score-28 (DAS28). All patients underwent ultrasonic detection to compare the relationship between the degree of illness in elderly patients with RA and parameters of MSUS and ODI. RESULTS: The total semiquantitative score of MSUS and ODI score in the remission group were obviously lower than those in the other three groups (P < 0.001). The degree of illness in elderly patients with RA was positively correlated with parameters of MSUS (r = 0.886, P < 0.001). The degree of illness in elderly patients with RA was positively correlated with ODI (r = 0.907, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The degree of illness in elderly patients with RA is closely related to parameters of MSUS and ODI, and the parameters of MSUS have a higher evaluation value for the degree of illness in elderly patients with RA, which are correlated with ODI.