Search for: rheumatoid arthritis    methotrexate    autoimmune disease    biomarker    gene expression    GWAS    HLA genes    non-HLA genes   

ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
3985692 Verbal pain descriptors used by patients with arthritis. 1985 Apr Eighty patients with a diagnosis of either rheumatoid arthritis, localised osteoarthritis, or generalised osteoarthritis were asked to describe their pain by selecting words from a standardised list of pain descriptors. Words on this list were taken from the sensory class of pain descriptors found in the McGill pain questionnaire. Discriminant analysis was used to identify distinctive characteristics for each of these pain syndromes. On the basis of this analysis verbal responses for each patient were classified into one of the three diagnostic categories. Correct classification occurred in 65% of cases. An estimate of the technique's performance in prospective validation was derived by a split sample approach.
7217149 Stress fractures of the lower limb in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 1981 Aug Thirteen patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis had 19 stress fractures of the tibia or fibula. These patients characteristically presented with sudden, severe, unexplained pain with localised tenderness just below the knee or above the ankle. In seven patients examination of the adjacent joint indicated a flare-up of disease activity or a pyogenic arthritis. In six patients the diagnosis was delayed by the late appearance of callus in minute fractures. All patients had rheumatoid deformities of the ipsilateral lower limb: valgus deformities of the knee and subtalar joints occurred most frequently. All patients had osteoporosis; all except two had received steroid treatment and five had abnormalities of calcium metabolism. We suggest that deformities of the knee and ankle predispose patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis to stress fractures of the tibia and fibula.
929125 Rheumatoid arthritis and collagen antibodies. 1977 By using the complement fixation test, antibodies against collagen were examined. Pronase-solubilized insouble collagen served as antigen (20 degrees, 24 hours, collagen: enzyme ratio 10:1). Of 79 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, the presence of collagen antibodies was demonstrated in 8 cases. 56 patients with degenerative joint disease served as the control group, in which collagen antibodies were detected in only one single patient.
441636 Social implications of rheumatoid arthritis in young mothers. 1979 A brief survey of the difficulties facing a mother of pre-school children has been made. The time from 1 to 2 1/2 years is probably most demanding of the mother's patience and energy. Much can be done to support the family by adequate control of the disease, splinting and sparing of involved joints and provision of an easily maintained home, children's clothes and attention to environmental design. Domestic help, education of the husband, playgroup for the child and correct family spacing are all helpful.
404905 Subchondral cysts (geodes) in arthritic disorders: pathologic and radiographic appearance 1977 May A comprehensive study of femoral heads of patients and cadavers with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteonecrosis, and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease allows insight into the radiographic and pathologic appearance of subchondral radiolucencies in these disorders. The term geode, rather than cyst or pseudocyst, may be a more appropriate decription of these lesions. In osteoarthritis, goedes occur on the pressure segment of the femoral head in association with loss of articular space; in rheumatoid arthritis, they are initially noted at the chondro-osseous junction and subsequently involve the entire femoral head. In osteonecrosis, geodes appear in the necrotic segment of the femoral head. In calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, geodes resemble those in osteoarthritis but are larger, more numerous, and more widespread.
6979164 Genetics of autoantibodies in relation to disease. An epidemiological study of two populat 1982 May Familial occurrence of three types of autoantibodies, viz. rheumatoid factors, antinuclear antibodies and thyroid autoantibodies, was investigated in two population series: twins from the Finnish Twin Registry representing the adult twin population living in an urban area (76 monozygotic and 82 dizygotic same-sex twin pairs) and siblings from a middle-aged rural population subject to an ongoing epidemiological study (311 sibling groups comprising 801 subjects and 584 married couples). The observations were compatible with the concept of two components in the above autoantibody system. The major component is determined predominantly by environmental factors and is manifested with increasing age. The autoantibodies belonging to the minor, familial component occur in somewhat higher titers, exhibit certain specificity features of their own (RF reacting with rabbit gamma globulin), and are associated with "autoimmune" diseases.
6083987 The distribution of enzyme inhibitors in the joint in rheumatoid and experimental arthriti 1984 The enzyme inhibitors alpha 2 macroglobulin (alpha 2M) and alpha antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) have been demonstrated previously in the pannus-cartilage junction area in 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These deposits were present in both inflammatory cells and in the cartilage matrix. As the tissue studied came from far advanced disease removed at the time of joint replacements, the initial phase of cartilage destruction was studied in a carrageenin-induced arthritis in rabbits. Sequential studies indicated that loss of proteoglycan from cartilage was necessary before alpha 2M penetrated the matrix. Explant cultures of synovial tissue from RA and osteoarthritis (OA) joints released an inhibitor of neutrophil elastase and plasminogen activator which was neither alpha 2M nor alpha 1AT. Synovial tissue (and cartilage) enzyme inhibitors may have important implications in relation to protective mechanisms within the joint in RA and OA over and above the effect of plasma inhibitors.
7221396 The assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis using a multivariate analysis. 1981 Feb 1 A simple method of assessing 'index of disease activity' (IDA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using a multivariate analysis (MVA) comprising morning stiffness (MS), pain scale (PS), grip strength (GS), articular index (AI), haemoglobin (Hb) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is described. The IDA of 99 patients with RA was assessed using MVA. The method could be used reliably and readily for random or longitudinal assessment, in drug trials and for comparing disease activity with other objective indices.
6442053 [Auranofin in the treatment of chronic polyarthritis. Results of an open multicenter study 1984 Auranofin (Ridaura SK and F 39 162) was tested in an open multicenter study with regard to its anti-inflammatory effect in 166 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The time for treatment lasted for one or two years. The therapeutic effect of the drug was judged by its influence on pain, joint swelling, morning stiffness, grip strength, blood-sedimentation rate and rheumatoid factor etc. The serum gold concentration was measured regularly. With Auranofin the majority of the patients achieved a lasting improvement of the condition. The therapeutical effect was observed gradually. Side-effects were frequent but removal from the therapy was rare. Most of the side-effects were diarrhea, rash, pruritus and conjunctivitis. Regular laboratory controls revealed in some cases toxic organic reactions.
1213056 Effects of magnetic field on inflammation. 1975 Dec 15 The effects of a 50 Hz magnetic field on experimentally-induced inflammation in rats were studied. Carrageenan edema was inhibited significantly by exposure to magnetic field for 3 h. Adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats was also suppressed by the magnetic field.
6213026 Detection of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in the peripheral blood and the synovium of patien 1982 Feb Monoclonal antibodies with specificities for various human T-cell antigens were used in direct immunofluorescence to quantify the proportions of T lymphocytes with suppressor/cytotoxic-cell markers and with helper/inducer-cell markers and of T lymphocytes with HLA-DR antigens. Normal percentages of lymphocytes with suppressor/cytotoxic-cell markers were detected in the peripheral blood synovial fluid and synovial tissue lymphocytes from patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), respectively. Normal percentages of T lymphocytes with helper/inducer-cell markers were seen in the peripheral blood of RA and JRA patients and in the synovial tissues of RA patients. Slightly decreased percentages of cells with the helper/inducer-cell marker were detected in the synovial fluids of JRA patients. The proportions of HLA-DR-positive T lymphocytes were highly increased in the synovial fluid and synovial tissue, whereas the numbers of these cells in the peripheral blood were normal. No significant differences in T gamma cells were detected between peripheral blood, synovial fluid and synovial tissue of JRA patients or between peripheral blood and synovial tissue of RA patients.
6213997 Concanavalin A-induced suppressor cell activity and in vitro immunoglobulin secretion in r 1981 Concanavalin A-induced suppressor cell activity was found moderately but significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased in RA patients treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (31 +/- 7% suppression) as compared to patients on remission-inducing drugs, such as gold, penicillamine, or chloroquine (51 +/- 6%) or to healthy individuals (50 +/- 6%). Also, lymphocytes from patients with antibodies to collagen mediated lower suppression (33 +/- 7%) than lymphocytes from patients without evidence for these autoantibodies (61 +/- 11%). No significant difference between patients and controls or between individual groups of patients were observed in regard to IgM and IgG secretion induced by pokeweed mitogen. Thus, although no indication for a severe derangement of regulatory cells in peripheral blood of RA patients could be observed in this study, a slight deficiency of ConA-inducible suppressor cells that may be reverted by remission-inducing drugs seems to be present in RA.
6603939 Circulating immunoglobulin-secreting cells in rheumatoid arthritis. 1983 Oct The level of circulating cells secreting IgG, IgM, and IgA (IgSC) provides insight into the degree of in vivo polyclonal B-cell activation (PBA). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) exhibit abnormalities in humoral immune responses suggestive of augmented in vivo polyclonal B-cell activation. Therefore, a protein A reverse hemolytic plaque assay was used to measure the level of circulating IgSC in 32 RA patients. The mean level of circulating IgSC in RA patients was 3602 +/- 747 (SEM) compared to a mean of 1407 +/- 443 in patients with other types of arthritis and 1253 +/- 216 (P less than 0.02) in healthy volunteers. Levels found in RA patients did not appear to reflect disease activity or concomitant corticosteroid therapy. However, a subset of RA patients receiving gold therapy had levels of IgSC (1381 +/- 501) similar to those seen in healthy volunteers (P greater than 0.5). These data are consistent with augmented in vivo polyclonal B-cell activation in RA. In addition they suggest that gold affects mechanisms controlling in vivo B-cell activation.
787010 Rheumatoid factor-producing cells detected by direct hemolytic plaque assay. 1976 Oct Lymphocytes secreting anti-IgC antibodies, rheumatoid factors (RF), can be detected in the peripheral bloods, synovial fluids, and bone marrows of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis by using a direct plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay with sheep erythrocytes sensitized with reduced and alkylated rabbit IgG hemolysin. The autospecific nature of the RF produced by RF-PFC was indicated by inhibition studies in which the order of patency was human IgG greater than rabbit IgG greater than bovine IgG. In metabolic studies puromycin, cycloheximide, and venblastine suppressed RF-PFC. Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP were without effect. A need was recognized for using full tissue culture media during the cell separation and plaquing procedures to optimize detection of the RF-PFC. RF-PFC may appear in the blood of patients intermittently despite their continuing presence in the bone marrow. They have been found in the peripheral blood, especially during acutely exacerbating polyarticular synovitis, generalized vasculities, or generally active, aggressive disease. RF-PFC were found in synovial effusions of new or recrduescent acute synovitis. RF-PFC were observed to disappear from the peripheral circulation and the bone marrow during therapy with cytotoxic drugs. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the appearance of RF-PFC in the peripheral blood represents an anamnestic response to transiently appearing antigen. The nature of the antigen is not specified. The bone marrow may be a site of origin of RF-PFC.
4081659 Subaxial antero-posterior dislocation of the cervical spine in rheumatoid arthritis. 1985 A subaxial (below C2) antero-posterior dislocation of the cervical spine was present in 18% of 407 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The dislocation was as common at only one level as at two more levels and was more severe if the height of the spinous process was reduced. Most of these same patients also had an atlanto-axial dislocation. At follow-up examinations, the frequency of a subaxial dislocation was the same in patients with a severe atlanto-axial dislocation who were receiving conservative treatment as in patients with a cervico-occipital fusion. Neurological symptoms occurred more frequently in patients with an encroached spinal canal and in patients with a reduced height of the entire cervical spine.
6606402 The use of C3d as a means of monitoring clinical activity in systemic lupus erythematosus 1983 Dec Plasma samples from 44 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 43 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were assayed for C3d, a breakdown product of the third component of complement (C3), which was also measured in parallel. Levels of C3d varied in direct proportion with disease activity in RA, whereas C3 showed little change. Although C3d values also increased with worsening clinical condition in SLE, this trend was not considered to be sufficiently clear to be useful and did not provide any advantage over the routinely performed C3 assay.
6838671 Diet therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. 1983 Apr Although diet therapy for arthritis has received considerable publicity, there is little objective information about its efficacy. We undertook a 10-week, controlled, double-blind, randomized trial of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Twenty-six patients completed the study; 11 were on an experimental diet (a specific popular diet free of additives, preservatives, fruit, red meat, herbs, and dairy products) and 15 were on a "placebo" diet. Of 183 variables analyzed, there were no clinically important differences among rheumatologic, laboratory, immunologic, radiologic, or nutritional findings between patients on experimental and placebo diets. Six RA patients on the placebo and 5 on the experimental diet improved by objective criteria. Improvement averaged 29% for patients on placebo and 32% for patients on experimental diets. Two patients on the experimental diet improved notably, elected to remain on the experimental diet following the study period, have continued to improve, and noted exacerbations of disease upon consuming nonexperimental diet foods. Our study failed to provide evidence of objective overall clinical benefit of this diet as followed by a group of patients with longstanding, progressive, active RA. However, our data are not inconsistent with the possibility that individualized dietary manipulations might be beneficial for selected patients with rheumatic disease.
6456414 Treatment of intractable rheumatoid arthritis with total lymphoid irradiation. 1981 Oct 22 Eleven patients with intractable rheumatoid arthritis were treated with total lymphoid irradiation (total dose, 2000 rad) in an uncontrolled feasibility study, as an alternative to long-term therapy with cytotoxic drugs such as cyclophosphamide and azathioprine. During a follow-up period of five to 18 months after total lymphoid irradiation, there was a profound and sustained suppression of the absolute lymphocyte count and in vitro lymphocyte function, as well as an increase in the ratio of Leu-2 (suppressor/cytotoxic) to Leu-3 (helper) T cells in the blood. Persistent circulating suppressor cells of the mixed leukocyte response and of pokeweek mitogen-induced immunoglobulin secretion developed in most patients. In nine of the 11 patients, these changes in immune status were associated with relief of joint tenderness and swelling and with improvement in function scores. Maximum improvement occurred approximately six months after irradiation and continued for the remainder of the observation period. Few severe or chronic side effects were associated with the radiotherapy.
1915 [The distribution of benorylate in plasma, synovial fluid and synovial tissue in rheumatoi 1975 Nov The authors report on the drug benorylate which is available in the Federal Republic under the name of Benortan (4-acetamidophenyl-2-acetoxybenzoat). Numerous examinations have shown that it is well tolerated by mouth and that it has beneficial clinical effects with few side effects. Benorylate is a neutral, fat-soluble, water-insoluble substance which upon absorption is almost completely hydrolyzed into salicylate and paracetamol. 6 patients with classical seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and with a highly active synovialitis of one or both knee joints not previously treated received 4 g of a 40% benorylate suspension orally twice daily over a period of 9-14 days. On different days at exactly determined times of drug administration blood, and on the day of synovectomy synovial fluid and synovial tissue, were taken and frozen to - 70 degrees C and subsequently examined as to the content of salicylate, paracetamol, and unchanged benorylate. The plasma levels of salicylate and paracetamol were generally distinctly higher than the concentrations of these metabolites in the synovial fluid. Benorylate which is practically not detectable in blood is found in the synovial tissue and is detectable in greatest quantities in the most inflamed synovial villi. Benorylate can probably penetrate into the synovial membrane like its metabolites salicylate and paracetamol; it remains, however, to be examined whether the metabolites are distributed differently in different synovial areas (active inflamed and unattacked synovial tissue, respectively) in the same way as benorylate per se.
806957 [Irregular agglutinins, hemolysins, antilymphocyte antibodies, serum anticomplementarity, 1975 Apr An immunological investigation was carried out on 33 rheumatoid polyarthritis patients. The phenomena of antierythrocytes immunization were investigated by standard tests : irregular agglutinins, haemolysins, and auto-antibodies which all proved negative. The lymphocyte immunological phenomena were also studied. Cold (4 degrees C) lymphocytotoxins were shown in 8 patients, 5 of whom had anti-lymphocyte auto-antibodies. The proportions of "sheep rosettes" were significantly reduced. The sera did not show notable anti-complementary activity. Studies on the human antiglobulins and on species antiglobulins were not very conclusive. Cryoglobulins were never detected. No clear correlation was found between these different tests and those of standard rheumatism serology.