Krijbolder DI, Wouters F, van Mulligen E, et al. - Researchers examined if morning stiffness (MS), a characteristic for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is associated with systemic- and subclinical joint-inflammation in patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA). Per findings, patients in the CSA-phase, that preceded clinical arthritis, already exhibit an association of inflammation with MS.

• Among 575 patients presenting with CSA, 195 (34%) experienced MS.

• Subclinical synovitis, subclinical tenosynovitis and increased-CRP were more frequently evident in patients experiencing MS.

• Independent correlation of subclinical synovitis and CRP remained evident with MS.

• MS was more strongly linked with subclinical synovitis and CRP in CSA-patients who later developed RA, and thus in retrospect were ‘pre-RA’ at time of CSA.

• Associations increased with longer MS-durations.