AB0677 REVISING THE DEFINITION OF REACTIVE ARTHRITIS AND DIFFERENTIATION FROM UNDIFFERENTIATED SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
Authors: F. Cosan, O. M. Gedar
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2020)

Background: Reactive arthritis (ReA) is defined by 1999 ACR criteria as arthritis preceding a bacterial genitourinary (GUS) or gastrointestinal (GIS) infection in 3 days-6 weeks and evidence of triggering infection. Recently, ReA is classified as SpA and patients who do not fulfill SpA criteria are classified as undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (USpA) according to ASAS/EULAR SpA classification criteria. Objectives: In several case reports which are associated with other infective agents are reported and the definition is extended for some clinicians so that SpA which is occurred after any infection is called as ReA. On the other hand, some researchers still accept the classical definition of ReA. The problem with the heterogeneity of opinions and unstandardized definition of ReA hinders studies about pathogenesis and standardization of treatments. In this study, we aimed to determine the spectrum of the use of the definition of reactive arthritis in publications in PubMed between 2009-2019. Methods: The ReA keyword is searched in PubMed for the years between 2009-2019. 248 different publications have been identified and included in this research. 89 articles, 47 reviews, 108 case reports, 2 guidelines, and 2 editorials reviewed for the definition of ReA. Results: Only 42.7% (106 patients) of these publications meet the classical definition which suggests ReA after only GIS and GUS infections. In 4 (1.6%) of the publications ReA was defined after GIS, GUS and oropharyngeal infections; in 3 (1,2%) of the publications after any bacterial infection; in 9 (3.6%) of the publications after any infection. In 8 (3.2%) of the publications, ReA and USPA was used correspondingly. In 39 (15,7%) of the publications the term agent related, ReA was used without making a general definition for ReA. 79 publications (31,9%) have not defined ReA. According to causative agent and ReA relationship, in 64 (24,6%) general infective agents, in 75 (30,2%) classical agents, in 22 (8,9%) other bacterial agents, in 23 (9,3%) streptococcus, in 10(4%) intravesical BCG, in 6 (2.4%) HIV, in 6 (2.4%) tuberculosis, in 12 (4,8%) clostrudium difficle, in 2 (0.8%) parasites were reported. In 31 (12,5%) of the publications the causative agent for the ReA was unknown, the diagnosis was made clinically. Conclusion: In this study, it is aimed to draw attention terminology intricacy and the need for the standardization of the definition of ReA and USpA. It is clear that to standardize the definition of Rea and USpA is necessary. Between 2009-2019 there are reported cases diagnosed as ReA associated with bacterial infections (especially with Clostridium difficile, streptococcus and tuberculosis infections), and viral infections (by a majority with HIV), and parasitic infections. It is not clear if we need to define them classically or define them as USPA. Another important consideration is the necessity of extended laboratory investigations to find out the real causative agent even if the patient is clinically diagnosed with ReA. The requirement of the differentiation between ReA and USpA must be revealed for therapeutic researches. References: [1]A proposal for the classification of patients for clinical and experimental studies on reactive arthritis. Pacheco-Tena C, Burgos-Vargas R, Vázquez-Mellado J, Cazarín J, Pérez-Díaz JA. J Rheumatol. 1999 Jun;26(6):1338-46. [2]The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria for peripheral spondyloarthritis and for spondyloarthritis in general. Rudwaleit M, van der Heijde D, Landewé R, Akkoc N, Brandt J, Chou CT, Dougados M, Huang F, Gu J, Kirazli Y, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2011;70:25–31. Disclosure of Interests: None declared