ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2004; 21 (4): 231-236

     Original article

Jelena Jovanović¹, Vlado Skakić¹, Zorica Marković¹, Vladimir Jovanović²

¹The Institut for Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Rheumatic and Cardiovascular Diseases "Niška Banja"
²The Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traymatology, Clinical Center-Niš

    SUMMARY

    The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of Baker cyst in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), using of ultrasonography. We estimate 124 patients with RA, which filled ACR criteria, during stationary tretment and examination at the Rheumatology Department at the Institute Ni{ka Banja. In all patients, ultrasonographic examination was performed with the Acuson Sequoia, with the linear sound of 8MH in order to prove it. The patients were divided into two groups: the group with knee artritis (82 patients - 66.12%) and the group without knee artritis (42 patients - 33.88%). In the group of patients with knee artritis, Baker cyst was found in 54 patients (65.85%), and in the group without knee artritis it was found in 15 (35.70%) patients. At the same time, in the group with knee artritis 6 male and 48 female patients had Baker cyst. Average age of patients with knee arthritis and Baker cyst was 55.43±9.84 and with knee arthritis and without Baker cyst 53.21±10.06. In patients with Baker cyst average duration of the disease was 8.54±6.31, and in patients without Baker cyst it was 9.66±7.23 years. In relation to the disease activity, 32 (39.0%) patients with high activity, 21 (25.6%) with moderate and 1 with mild activity had Beker cyst. In relation to the disease stage, 11 (13.4%) patients in IV, 26 (31.7%) in III, 16 (19.5%) in II and 1 in I anatomical stage had Baker cyst. In 36 (66.67%) patients with Baker cyst joind knee arthrosis was found. In relation to presence of rheumatoid faktor (RF), 39 (47.6%) patients with Baker cyst were IgM-RF(+), and 15 (18.3%) IgM-RF(-). The result also showed that 34 (41.4%) patients with Baker cyst had possitive finding of C-reactive protein (CRP), and that in 20 (24.4%) patients CRP was negative.
    According to our result, Baker cyst is more frequent in patients with actually present knee joint arthritis, in patients with high and moderate activity of the rheumatoid process, in the II and III anatomical stage, patients with joined knee arthrosis, as well as in patients with positive finding of IgM-RF and C reactive protein.

    Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, Baker cyst, arthritis knee, ultrasonography