Search for: rheumatoid arthritis methotrexate autoimmune disease biomarker gene expression GWAS HLA genes non-HLA genes
| ID | PMID | Title | PublicationDate | abstract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12876667 | Clinical features of large granular lymphocyte leukemia. | 2003 Jul | The spectrum of large granular lymphocyte (LGL) proliferations consists of four distinct entities: reactive/transient LGL expansion, chronic LGL lymphocytosis, classical indolent LGL leukemia, and aggressive LGL leukemia. LGL leukemias are classified as lymphoid malignancies. They are divided into CD3(+)/T-cell LGL (85% of cases) and CD3(-)/natural killer (NK) cell LGL leukemia (15% of cases). Recent progress in the comprehension of the leukemogenesis has shown a dysregulation of survival signals in leukemic cells. Identification of LGL expansion has been improved using T-cell receptor (TCR)beta/gamma polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and a combination of Vbeta and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)-specific monoclonal antibodies. LGL leukemias are characterized by a clonal LGL infiltration of the bone marrow, spleen, and liver. Monoclonality is recognized by phenotypic, molecular, and karyotypic analysis. T-LGL leukemias affect the elderly and display a relatively indolent behavior. Approximately 60% to 70% of patients are symptomatic: recurrent infections secondary to chronic neutropenia, anemia, and autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis are the main clinical manifestations. Long-lasting remission can be obtained with low-dose methotrexate, cyclosporine A, or cyclophosphamide. Conversely, NK LGL leukemias behave aggressively, and most patients do not respond to chemotherapy. | |
| 12874242 | Human mast cell beta-tryptase is a gelatinase. | 2003 Aug 1 | Remodeling of extracellular matrix is an important component in a variety of inflammatory disorders as well as in normal physiological processes such as wound healing and angiogenesis. Previous investigations have identified the various matrix metalloproteases, e.g., gelatinases A and B, as key players in the degradation of extracellular matrix under such conditions. Here we show that an additional enzyme, human mast cell beta-tryptase, has potent gelatin-degrading properties, indicating a potential contribution of this protease to matrix degradation. Human beta-tryptase was shown to degrade gelatin both in solution and during gelatin zymographic analysis. Further, beta-tryptase was shown to degrade partially denatured collagen type I. beta-Tryptase bound strongly to gelatin, forming high molecular weight complexes that were stable during SDS-PAGE. Mast cells store large amounts of preformed, active tryptase in their secretory granules. Considering the location of mast cells in connective tissues and the recently recognized role of mast cells in disorders in which connective tissue degradation is a key event, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, it is thus likely that tryptase may contribute to extracellular matrix-degrading processes in vivo. | |
| 12851408 | Crystal structure and carbohydrate-binding properties of the human cartilage glycoprotein- | 2003 Sep 26 | The human cartilage glycoprotein-39 (HCgp-39 or YKL40) is expressed by synovial cells and macrophages during inflammation. Its precise physiological role is unknown. However, it has been proposed that HCgp-39 acts as an autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis, and high expression levels have been associated with cancer development. HCgp-39 shares high sequence homology with family 18 chitinases, and although it binds to chitin it lacks enzymatic activity. The crystal structure of HCgp-39 shows that the protein displays a (beta/alpha)8-barrel fold with an insertion of an alpha + beta domain. A 43-A long carbohydrate-binding cleft is present at the C-terminal side of the beta-strands in the (beta/alpha)8 barrel. Binding of chitin fragments of different lengths identified nine sugar-binding subsites in the groove. Protein-carbohydrate interactions are mainly mediated by stacking of side chains of aromatic amino acid residues. Surprisingly, the specificity of chitin binding to HCgp-39 depends on the length of the oligosaccharide. Although chitin disaccharides tend to occupy the distal subsites, longer chains bind preferably to the central subsites in the groove. Despite the absence of enzymatic activity, long chitin fragments are distorted upon binding, with the GlcNAc at subsite -1 in a boat conformation, similar to what has been observed in chitinases. The presence of chitin in the human body has never been documented so far. However, the binding features observed in the complex structures suggest that either chitin or a closely related oligosaccharide could act as the physiological ligand for HCgp-39. | |
| 12831398 | The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire: dimensions and practical applications. | 2003 Jun 9 | The ability to effectively measure health-related quality-of-life longitudinally is central to describing the impacts of disease, treatment, or other insults, including normal aging, upon the patient. Over the last two decades, assessment of patient health status has undergone a dramatic paradigm shift, evolving from a predominant reliance on biochemical and physical measurements, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, lipid profiles, or radiographs, to an emphasis upon health outcomes based on the patient's personal appreciation of their illness. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), published in 1980, was among the first instruments based on generic, patient-centered dimensions. The HAQ was designed to represent a model of patient-oriented outcome assessment and has played a major role in many diverse areas such as prediction of successful aging, inversion of the therapeutic pyramid in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), quantification of NSAID gastropathy, development of risk factor models for osteoarthrosis, and examination of mortality risks in RA. Evidenced by its use over the past two decades in diverse settings, the HAQ has established itself as a valuable, effective, and sensitive tool for measurement of health status. It is available in more than 60 languages and is supported by a bibliography of more than 500 references. It has increased the credibility and use of validated self-report measurement techniques as a quantifiable set of hard data endpoints and has contributed to a new appreciation of outcome assessment. In this article, information regarding the HAQ's development, content, dissemination and reference sources for its uses, translations, and validations are provided. | |
| 12727578 | Evidence of autoimmunity in chronic periaortitis: a prospective study. | 2003 Apr 15 | BACKGROUND: Chronic periaortitis includes idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis, inflammatory aneurysms of the abdominal aorta, and perianeurysmal retroperitoneal fibrosis. It is considered to be due to advanced atherosclerosis, but is often associated with systemic autoimmune disorders. METHODS: We studied 16 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with chronic periaortitis by computed tomography. Each patient underwent a physical examination, routine laboratory tests, measurement of autoantibodies, thyroid echotomography, and chest radiography. Aortic wall or periaortic retroperitoneal samples from 9 patients who underwent surgery were available for histologic examination and immunohistochemical characterization of the inflammatory infiltrate. RESULTS: Twelve patients had constitutional symptoms, 14 had an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and 13 had an elevated C-reactive protein level. Antinuclear antibodies were positive in 10 patients. Three patients had autoimmune thyroiditis, and 1 had seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were positive in 3 patients who presented with rapidly progressive renal failure. Pathologic examination of the aortic and periaortic specimens revealed moderate to severe inflammatory infiltration, mainly consisting of B cells and CD4(+) T cells. Vasculitis with fibrinoid necrosis involving the aortic vasa vasorum and the small and medium retroperitoneal vessels was found in seven of the nine histologic samples. CONCLUSION: These clinical and pathologic features support the hypothesis that, at least in some patients, chronic periaortitis is a systemic autoimmune disease, perhaps involving a vasculitic process of small and medium vessels. | |
| 12634957 | Successful reintroduction of methotrexate after acute pneumonitis in a patient with acute | 2003 Mar | Low-dose methotrexate (MTX) is used as disease-modifying therapy in severe rheumatoid arthritis and as maintenance treatment in patients with complete remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is generally well tolerated, but in 27% of patients acute pneumonitis leads to discontinuation of treatment. We describe a 56-year-old female patient with newly diagnosed pre-B-ALL. She was treated with induction chemotherapy in July 1999 which lead to complete remission. Maintenance treatment with low-dose MTX and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) was started in December 1999. In April 2000 she was hospitalized because of fever, cough, and rapidly progressive dyspnea. No pathogens could be cultured from blood or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Computed tomography of the lungs revealed interstitial infiltration and ground-glass opacities. Acute pneumonitis was diagnosed, and MTX was stopped. Prednisone therapy lead to rapid clinical amelioration of dyspnea and hypoxemia. Since for this patient there was no alternative leukemia therapy, MTX was successfully reintroduced in August 2000 without reappearance of any respiratory symptoms. We discuss risk profile, clinical and histological presentation, and therapy of MTX-induced pneumonitis. To our knowledge, this is the first patient with ALL in whom successful reintroduction of MTX after severe pneumonitis has been reported. | |
| 12604154 | Strategies in pain management: new and potential indications for COX-2 specific inhibitors | 2003 Feb | The role of the coxibs in the management of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis has been widely discussed, but there are other potential applications for the coxibs that have received less attention. Here we consider the use of the coxibs in acute pain syndromes such as primary dysmenorrhea and the pain associated with dental extraction, as well as considering their application in chronic low back pain and cancer pain. Another area where the coxibs may prove particularly beneficial is in the management of post-surgical pain. Traditional post-surgical analgesia has involved the use of non-selective NSAIDs and opioids, but these agents can be associated with side effects such as post-operative bleeding, gastrointestinal problems, nausea, and constipation. Because the coxibs do not inhibit COX-1 dependent platelet aggregation like traditional NSAIDs, the risk of post-surgical bleeding is reduced. The careful application of coxibs as part of a multi-modal approach to pain management in the perioperative period can reduce the requirement for opioid medications and thus reduce the risk of post-operative complications such as ileus. In the future, coxibs are likely to play an important role in multi-modal perioperative analgesic regimens with the aim of reducing post-operative periods of convalescence. | |
| 12589104 | Successful combination therapy of cyclosporine and methotrexate for refractory polymyositi | 2003 Feb | Although corticosteroids have been the initial agent for the treatment of inflammatory myopathies (IM), immunosuppressive agents such as azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, or cyclosporine are commonly required to control the disease except mild cases. On the other hand, the efficacy of combination therapy of cyclosporine and methotrexate in severe rheumatoid arthritis has been proven without serious side effects. However, in treatment-resistant myositis, the experience of such a therapy is very limited, and has not been described in refractory polymyositis with anti-Jo-1 antibody. Here, we report a young female patient with recalcitrant polymyositis and anti-Jo-1 antibody who was successfully treated with the combination therapy of cyclosporine and methotrexate. At first, the myositis did not respond to several agents, such as corticosteroid, monthly pulse cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, or cyclosporine. Methotrexate was initially avoided as treatment regimen because of its potential pulmonary toxicity in the case with preexisting lung disease. | |
| 12555174 | Precoated femoral component in primary hybrid total hip arthroplasty: results at a mean 10 | 2003 Jan | This is a mid-term report at 10 years' mean follow-up of a study of a precoated femoral component used in primary hybrid total hip arthroplasty (THA). Of an original cohort of 98 hips undergoing THA performed by one surgeon, 75 hips in 65 patients (mean age, 67 years) were prospectively followed up for 7 to 12 years (mean, 10 years). All hips had the same porous coated acetabular component and a precoated femoral component (with an oval cross-section) implanted using Simplex bone cement (Howmedica, Rutherford, NJ). There was no femoral component loosening or revision. Two acetabular components in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and protrusio acetabulae had radiographic loosening; however, only 1 was symptomatic and was revised. Acetabular osteolysis was seen in 4 hips (5.3%), and minor femoral osteolysis was seen in 3 hips (4%). Used in this manner in this patient population, precoating is not detrimental to successful fixation at 10 years' mean follow-up of primary hybrid THA. | |
| 12528575 | Short-wave diathermy: current clinical and safety practices. | 2002 | BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Short-wave diathermy (SWD) is widely available, yet a comprehensive examination of current clinical practice remains absent from the literature. The present paper aims to assess clinical and safety issues in continuous (CSWD) and pulsed (PSWD) short-wave diathermy application and subsequently indicate areas for future research. METHOD: A postal survey was carried out among 116 senior physiotherapists in 41 Irish hospital-based physiotherapy departments. RESULTS: The response rate to the study was 75%. Analysis found that PSWD was the preferred mode of treatment with 27% of respondents using it more than once daily. Respondents considered both modes of treatment indicated for a variety of conditions. CSWD was rated as an effective treatment for chronic osteoarthritis, polyarthritis, non-specific arthrosis and haematomas. PSWD was reported an effective modality for acute soft tissue injury, haematomas, acute osteoarthritis, sinusitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Dose selection varied greatly but tended to be based on the type, nature and duration of the condition. Analysis of safety practices uncovered concerning findings. Although a high level of agreement was found on measures for patient safety, 30% of respondents reported that no measures for operator safety were taken and only five respondents stated they remained a specified distance from SWD equipment. Measures to ensure the safety of other personnel in the physiotherapy department were also lacking. CONCLUSIONS: Given the availability of SWD equipment and its apparent efficacy in certain conditions, future research should aim to establish this by means of controlled clinical trials. The findings on safety practices underline the urgent need for comprehensive guidelines to ensure the safety of operators, patients and the general public during SWD application. | |
| 12505287 | Ultraviolet radiation and autoimmune disease: insights from epidemiological research. | 2002 Dec 27 | This review examines the epidemiological evidence that suggests ultraviolet radiation (UVR) may play a protective role in three autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis. To date, most of the information has accumulated from population studies that have studied the relationship between geography or climate and autoimmune disease prevalence. An interesting gradient of increasing prevalence with increasing latitude has been observed for at least two of the three diseases. This is most evident for multiple sclerosis, but a similar gradient has been shown for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Europe and North America. Seasonal influences on both disease incidence and clinical course and, more recently, analytical studies at the individual level have provided further support for a possible protective role for UVR in some of these diseases but the data are not conclusive. Organ-specific autoimmune diseases involve Th1 cell-mediated immune processes. Recent work in photoimmunology has shown ultraviolet B (UVB) can specifically attenuate these processes through several mechanisms which we discuss. In particular, the possible contribution of an UVR-induced increase in serum vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3) levels in the beneficial immunomodulation of these diseases is discussed. | |
| 12434654 | [Tumor necrosis factor alpha genetic polymorphism as a risk factor in disease]. | 2002 Sep | Cytokine unbalance is responsible for the pathogenesis of diverse inflammatory, autoimmune and infectious diseases, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF alpha), among other cytokines, plays a central role. TNF alpha production can be regulated at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels. Variability in the promoter and coding regions of the TNF alpha gene may modulate the magnitude of its secretory response. Up to date, several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified in the human TNF alpha gene promoter. One of these, is a guanine to adenine transition at position -308, that generates the TNF1 and TNF2 alleles, respectively. The TNF2 allele is associated to a high in vitro TNF expression, and it has also been linked to an increased susceptibility and severity, for a variety of illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer disease and cerebral malaria among others. It is also associated with a higher septic shock susceptibility and mortality. The investigation of polymorphisms within the TNF alpha cluster will be important in understanding the role of TNF alpha regulation in specific diseases. | |
| 12417590 | Interleukin-23 promotes a distinct CD4 T cell activation state characterized by the produc | 2003 Jan 17 | Interleukin (IL)-17 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by activated T cells. Despite increasing evidence that high levels of IL-17 are associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis, the regulation of its expression is not well characterized. We observe that IL-17 production is increased in response to the recently described cytokine IL-23. We present evidence that murine IL-23, which is produced by activated dendritic cells, acts on memory T cells, resulting in elevated IL-17 secretion. IL-23 also induced expression of the related cytokine IL-17F. IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine and shares a subunit, p40, with IL-12. In contrast to IL-23, IL-12 had only marginal effects on IL-17 production. These data suggest that during a secondary immune response, IL-23 can promote an activation state with features distinct from the well characterized Th1 and Th2 profiles. | |
| 12406662 | What's in the pipeline? Prospects for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as therapies for lung d | 2002 | The striking clinical results from recent studies with Remicade (infliximab, a monoclonal anti-TNFalpha antibody) in rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis demonstrate the disease-altering potential of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in chronic inflammation. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma represent two major chronic pulmonary inflammatory diseases with substantial unmet medical needs. Most of the cells and mediators implicated in the pathophysiology of COPD and asthma are excellent targets for mAb intervention. Indeed, clinical trials with mAbs directed against IL-5, IgE, and CD4 yielded results that are critical in dissecting the pathophysiology of asthma, and reinforce the potential for mAbs as therapeutic agents in treating pulmonary diseases. Furthermore, fundamental advances in the discovery, manufacture and safety of mAbs underscore the enormous therapeutic value of these agents for chronic pulmonary diseases. Indeed, a large number of mAbs are in pre-clinical and clinical development for treating these conditions. In this review, we discuss the scientific rationale for generating mAb therapies directed specifically toward COPD and asthma. We believe that as a therapeutic class, mAbs offer the opportunity to alter symptoms, progression and outcome of chronic pulmonary diseases. | |
| 12234165 | Conference synopsis: hematopoietic stem cell therapy in autoimmune diseases, October 2001. | 2002 | Since 1996, patients with autoimmune diseases have been treated on single-arm investigational protocols with high-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In a conference held in October 2001 at the City of Hope National Medical Center, participants discussed current laboratory studies in autoimmunity, the rationale of HSCT in autoimmune diseases, results of phase I-II studies, and the prospects for controlled trials. This conference synopsis summarizes major discussion points in clinical sessions and in sessions devoted to ethical and regulatory aspects of this investigational treatment. Protocols for controlled studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), originating in Europe and in the United States, have been designed or are in the final stages of design. The only controlled trial presently underway is for SSc in Europe (Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma Trial [ASTIS]). There are current plans for a controlled trial for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Europe (ASTIRA) but not in the United States. Eventual cross-study analysis of the European and United States trials may give valuable comparative information on the different mobilization and immunosuppressive regimens used. Recognition of the importance of axonal degeneration in secondary progressive MS and the use of mitoxantrone as a rescue medication are two relatively recent developments now being considered in the design of controlled HSCT protocols in MS. The importance of informed consent and study accessibility was discussed as well as the continuing role of the US Food and Drug Administration in regulating these protocols in the United States. | |
| 12213313 | The progression of neuronal, myelin, astrocytic, and immunological changes in the rat brai | 2002 Sep 13 | Aurothioglucose (ATG) is presently employed both by clinicians in the treatment of advanced rheumatoid arthritis and by neuroscience researchers to generate lesions around the circumventricular organs (CVOs) of rodent brains, resulting in obese animals. Although the existence of such lesions is well documented, there is relatively little information concerning the changes over time of the different cell types in the regions surrounding the CVOs. To address this question, specific markers allowing identification of four distinct cellular populations were used to characterize respective changes over time. Generally, regions adjacent to the CVOs were more vulnerable than the CVOs themselves, while more caudal structures were more frequently lesioned than more anterior CVO regions. Vascular and glial cells appeared to be the initial targets of ATG, while neuronal cell death occurred subsequent to the inflammatory response. The results of this study help resolve the mechanism of ATG toxicity as reflected by a cascade of pathologies that is consistent with disparate cell types exhibiting specific changes at specific times. | |
| 12116680 | [Osteoclast function is regulated by neighbouring osteoblasts. Osteoprotegerin, RAND and R | 2002 Jul 1 | Maturation of macrophages to osteoclasts requires the presence of marrow stromal cells or osteoblasts. Most calcitropic hormones act indirectly on osteoclasts through receptors on neighbouring osteoblasts. The discovery of osteoprotegerin (OPG), the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa b ligand (RANKL), and its receptor (RANK) has elucidated these phenomena. It appears that osteoclast differentiation, activity, and survival are regulated by the proportion of inhibiting OPG to stimulating RANKL. OPG and RANKL are produced by osteoblasts, whereas RANK is located to the osteoclasts. Treatment with OPG inhibits bone resorption in postmenopausal women. Mutations in the system may be responsible for focal skeletal disorders. The discovery opens up for new treatment opportunities in postmenopausal and steroid-induced osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hypercalcaemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. | |
| 12048563 | Comparison of a recombinant-antigen enzyme immunoassay with Treponema pallidum hemagglutin | 2002 Apr | A recombinant-antigen enzyme immunoassay (EIA), BioSCREEN anti-Treponema pallidum, was compared favorably with the T. pallidum hemagglutination test, in the detection of specific antibodies in different groups of sera from patients with primary (n = 38), secondary (n = 10), early latent (n = 28) and congenital syphilis (n = 2), patients with leptospirosis ( n= 8), infectious mononucleosis (n = 7), hepatitis (n = 9), diabetes mellitus (n = 11), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 13), leprosy (n = 11), tuberculosis (n = 9), HIV/Aids ( n= 12), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 4), rheumatic fever (n = 3), old-persons (n = 9), pregnant women (n = 29) and blood donors (n = 164). The coincidence between them was 95.1%. The sensitivity and specificity of the EIA were 93.3% and 95.5%, respectively. Fifteen serum specimens belonging to old-persons, pregnant women, blood donors, and patients with human leptospirosis, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis and rheumatic fever gave false-positive results by Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and/or Rapid Plasma Reagin. The EIA can be used as alternative method for the serological confirmation of syphilis. | |
| 11981314 | Tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. | 2002 May | Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antagonists have rapidly emerged as a valuable class of antirheumatic agents. Etanercept, a dimerized version of the soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II, and infliximab, a chimeric anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody, are currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on their proven beneficial effects in clinical trials. New insights into the role of TNF-alpha in disease pathogenesis have expanded our understanding about the possible mechanisms by which these agents reduce synovial inflammation and inhibit bone and cartilage degradation. The enlarging safety experience has revealed growing concerns about TNF-alpha inhibition and increased risk for opportunistic infection, most notably the reactivation of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Recent recommendations have addressed this risk by calling for pretreatment screening for previous exposure to tuberculosis. The success of etanercept and infliximab therapy for RA has prompted the development of other TNF-alpha antagonists and extended the investigation of this therapeutic approach to other inflammatory diseases. TNF-alpha antagonists promise to shape the care of RA and other rheumatic diseases for many years to come. | |
| 22387400 | Body fat percent and fat distribution parameters in rheumatic diseases. | 2002 Jan 1 | Alterations in body composition in chronic rhematologic disorders have been associated with decreased strength, altered energy metabolism and immunologic compromise and may provide a useful indicator of the severity of the disease. However, results of anthropometric parameter studies have been equivocal. The purpose of this study, was to compare body composition parameters of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with those of healthy controls. Mean age, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of patients with RA were not found to be different from those of the controls. BMI, body fat percent (BFP) were found to be high in patients with AS, but the differences between this two parameters of AS patients and controls were not statistically significant. Mean BFP of patients with RA was higher than the control subjects, but only the difference between female patients with RA and controls was statistically significant. Mean lean body mass (LBM) was slightly lower in male and female patients with RA compaired to the healthy controls. LBM of AS patients was found to be similar with that of the controls. Upper/lower body fat ratio (U/L BFR) and central/peripheral body fat ratio (C/P BFR) were higher in male patients with RA, but there were no differences between patients and controls. U/L BFR and C/P BFR body fat ratios were higher in AS patients. But, only the differences between C/P body fat distribution of AS patients and control subjects was statistically significant. The results obtained from this preliminary report show some anthropometric parameters of RA and AS patients can differ from those of the healthy controls. Future investigations are needed to determine the metabolic alterations causing the changes in body composition. |