Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients: radiologic progression and correlation of Genant/Sharp and Larsen scoring methods

Abstract

Objective: The Genant/Sharp scoring method is a validated radiologic scoring system useful for diagnosing, classifying, and defining specific clinical problems associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Genant/Sharp scoring method is described, and its level of correlation with the Larsen scoring method is discussed.

Method: The Genant/Sharp scoring system evaluates erosion, joint space narrowing (JSN), and a combination of erosion and JSN referred to as the total score. This method was used to determine change in radiographic progression during 2 consecutive 6-month intervals within a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in patients with RA. These results were compared with the results obtained through the Larsen scoring method to determine their correlation.

Results: The Genant/Sharp scoring method showed a moderate correlation with the Larsen scoring method, particularly at baseline, and showed similar treatment trends in a study of IL-1ra in patients with RA.

Conclusion: The Genant/Sharp scoring method provides an alternative to the Sharp and Larsen approaches for radiographic assessment in RA.