Ultrasound Efficacy in Moderate Rheumatoid Arthritis

The purpose of this research study is to determine whether ultrasound technology can improve treatment decisions for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have elevated disease activity scores. To do so, the investigators will be evaluating rheumatoid arthritis patients with moderate to high disease activity and how ultrasound scans can reveal any new information about the severity of their arthritis. Patients will answer questionnaires to gauge their disease activity as well as the depression, fatigue, and pain they experience as a result of their arthritis. The patients will then undergo an ultrasound examination to evaluate their synovitis levels, which will then be made available to their physician. Physicians will be asked about their disease activity assessments and treatment recommendations before and after ultrasounds are performed.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients must meet the American College of Rheumatology's 2010 criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. They must be undergoing treatment with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, and their Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) must be greater than 10 while their swollen joint count must be less than or equal to two.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with evidence of large joint (knee, hip, shoulder, elbow) disease activity, including warmth and swelling, and patients who have had a joint MRI or musculoskeletal ultrasound in the past 3 months will not be eligible to participate in the study.