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

ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
3910808 Stress and rheumatoid arthritis: a survey of empirical evidence in human and animal studie 1985 Literature concerning rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was reviewed with regard to the empirical evidence for the widely held view that the onset and course of the disease are influenced by stress variables. Human studies yielded contradictory results; there are at least two large well-controlled investigations that were not able to find a preponderance of life stress variables prior to the onset of the disease in RA patients compared to other patients or healthy subjects. Findings of animal studies are inconsistent, too: Some kinds of stress seem to abrogate, whereas others may rather enhance the development of rheumatic symptoms. Possible pathogenetic models are discussed to explain the influence of stress on the disease. For further research, the use of more sophisticated methods to assess life events, and prospective longitudinal studies in RA patients are suggested to find out whether stressful events antedate relapses. Such correlations should be examined for patients with seronegative and seropositive RA separately.
2426367 Can genetic polymorphism of alpha-2-macroglobulin be detected by immunoelectrophoresis? A 1985 Dec The technique of immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) was used to examine polymorphism of the endopeptidase inhibitor alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) by measuring its electrophoretic mobility. Examination of the variability of the method showed that a large intra- and inter-plate variation occurred (3.3 and 11.6%, respectively). It was also shown that alpha 2M from plasma moves significantly slower than that from serum and that the mobility of alpha 2M from plasma can be increased to that of serum by treatment with trypsin. Upon comparing sera, plasma and synovial fluids from a control group (normal subjects and patients with osteoarthritis) with a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, no difference in alpha 2M mobility could be demonstrated. It is concluded that genetic polymorphism of alpha 2M cannot be detected by the technique of IEP.
366144 Levamisole and cellular immunity in rheumatoid arthritis--a review. 1978 It has been suggested that many of the pathological changes in rheumatoid arthritis can be explained on the basis of T cell hypofunction and that the chronicity of the lesions can be maintained by abnormalities in macrophage and neutrophil function. Although there is some evidence to suggest that levamisole can correct many of these abnormalities and that its mechanism of action in this disease can therefore be explained the current, often conflicting, information does not offer proof of this suggestion and indeed some of the noted changes may merely represent secondary rather than primary events.
7006525 Seronegative chronic polyarthritis: clinical and serological correlates. 1980 Dec Twenty-seven patients with chronic, active, seronegative polyarthritis were assessed clinically and serologically by accepted criteria for evidence of connective tissue diseases. The patients were divided into 2 groups, 13 positive for fluorescent antinuclear antibody (FANA) and 14 that were negative. All but 1 patient fulfilled the clinical criteria for the diagnosis of definite rheumatoid arthritis. Four patients (2 in each group) fulfilled the preliminary criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. Antiperinuclear factor was positive in 5 of the FANA-negative patients, consistent with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. By contrast, this factor was absent in all the FANA-positive patients. Positive DNA binding was found in 7 of the FANA-positive patients, in high titre in 4, consistent with a diagnosis of 'minimal lupus' with predominantly 'unisystem' disease. DNA binding was positive in low titre in 2 of the FANA-negative patients. Antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) were found in 4 patients with a positive FANA and in only 1 FANA-negative patient. The current clinical criteria showed poor discriminatory value in classifying cases of seronegative polyarthritis, which may represent mild cases of other connective tissue disease presenting with synovitis in the absence of extra-articular disease manifestations.
6886030 Long-term therapy with tolmetin in rheumatoid arthritis. 1983 Jul Data from over 1000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received tolmetin sodium in double-blind and open studies have been pooled to assess long-term efficacy and safety. Duration of the studies was 12 weeks to 48 months. Mean age of patients was 54 years; ratio of males to females was 1:3. The results showed that tolmetin provided rapid onset of action and continuous progressive decrease in symptoms in all measurements of inflammation. Mean number of painful joints was reduced from 22 at baseline to 16 at one month, to 9 at one year, and to 6 at two years. Duration of morning stiffness was 155 minutes at baseline, 123 minutes at one month, 74 minutes at one year, and 78 minutes at two years. The final global evaluation by the investigators showed that 61 per cent of patients had a marked or moderate response. Mean erythrocyte sedimentation rates did not increase during therapy with tolmetin. Initial dose of tolmetin in the patients pooled for this analysis was generally 600 to 800 mg/day, and the mean dose throughout the study was 1256 mg/day. The drug was well tolerated overall. As anticipated, gastrointestinal symptoms were the most frequently reported; nausea was experienced by 13 per cent of the patients at some time during therapy, and gastrointestinal distress, dyspepsia, or abdominal pain was reported by approximately 8.6 per cent each. Only 12.7 per cent of patients discontinued tolmetin because of untoward reactions; 15.9 per cent of patients discontinued because of insufficient therapeutic response. The results of these long-term studies of patients with rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated that tolmetin is an effective antiinflammatory agent with an acceptable record of safety.
127221 [Surgical or isotopic synovectomy?]. 1975 May A total of 40 patients were treated, suffering with chronic rheumatic arthropathies of the knee, by synoviorthesis with 198Au. The patients were followed for more than 3 years. Good results were obtained in 90% of the cases. The advantages are considered of the isotopic synovectomy (synoviorthesis with 198Au), as compared with surgical synovectomy. Isotopic synoviorthesis is a non-surgical procedure of destruction-reconstruction of the pathological synovial. The method has a local and a general immuno-depressing effect (reduction of the abnormal protein generation, of the chondrolytic activity of the synovial and of the permeability disturbances from various chronic exsudates in the knee articulation). The knee articulation is particularly well suited for the use of these therapeutical method. The secondary effects and the organism irradiation are minimal.
734378 Treatment of rheumatoid pachymeningitis involving the entire thoracic region. 1978 A 67-year-old woman developed a spinal cord compression syndrome due to rheumatoid pachymeningitis with a roentgenological block from T2 to T11. The dura was surgically split from T1 to T12 and carefully dissected away from the spinal cord and then left open without grafting. The patient imporved and 3 years after the operation the spinal subarachnoid space and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid were normal.
6882034 Complete heart block in rheumatoid arthritis. 1983 Aug We report 8 cases of complete heart block (CHB) occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and review 20 similar patients previously reported. Complete heart block occurs generally in patients with established erosive nodular rheumatoid disease. It usually appears to be sudden and permanent, but progression from minor conduction delays is not uncommon. The characteristic histopathological finding is a rheumatoid granuloma in or near the AV node or bundle of His. If syncope or Stokes-Adams attacks occur, the treatment of choice is the insertion of a permanent pacemaker. The prognosis is good provided no other cardiac lesions occur, whether pericardial, valvular, or myocardial.
6987988 Double-blind placebo controlled crossover evaluation of levamisole in rheumatoid arthritis 1980 Feb During levamisole therapy, 14 of 20 patients with previously unresponsive rheumatoid arthritis had significant improvement (P less than 0.05) in clinical measures of disease activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and rheumatoid factor titer in a 32-week double-blind placebo controlled crossover trial. Levamisole was shown to alter antibody responses to tetanus and typhoid antigens, lymphocyte blastogenesis to phytohemagglutinins, and the number of null cells in peripheral blood. Agranulocytosis and rash resulted in discontinuation of the drug in one patient in each group. Though clearly effective, routine use of levamisole as a disease suppressant in rheumatoid arthritis must await more complete clarification of its association with agranulocytosis.
6696513 Prolonged low-dose corticosteroid therapy and osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis. 1984 Feb Thirty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis maintained on prednisolone 5 mg daily for an average period of 9.4 years were assessed radiologically to determine the degree of osteoporosis in their spine and peripheral skeleton. They were compared with a control group of 32 rheumatoid patients who had never received corticosteroids. The steroid-treated patients had more severe osteoporosis than the controls, though the difference was not statistically significant. In the female patients the spine appeared to be more sensitive than the peripheral skeleton to the osteoporotic effect of corticosteroids.
7454122 [Amyotrophic lateral pseudosclerosis in the course of rheumatoid disease. Report of a case 1980 Dec 15 The Authors describe a case of amyotrophic lateral pseudosclerosis observed in the course of rheumatoid arthritis. They also discuss the pathogenesis of the neurological complication suggesting the possibility of a progressive myelopathy of vascular origin with arteriosclerotic and vasculitic component.
4031603 Swanson silastic wrist arthroplasty. A retrospective study of fifteen cases. 1985 Jun A retrospective study of fifteen Swanson silastic wrist replacements for rheumatoid arthritis (fourteen cases) and osteoarthritis (one case), with a mean follow up period of 28.3 months showed an increase in function in fourteen cases and no change in one case. An increase in range of movement was present in six cases, with no change in seven. Pain was improved in fourteen cases and unchanged in one case. Grip strength was improved or unchanged in twelve cases. There were two cases of prosthesis fracture.
415423 Aurosomes produced in the synovial membrane by the oral administration of a gold compound 1977 Dec 30 Chlorotriethylphosphine gold (SK & F 36914) administered orally to rabbits produced aurosomes in the synovial membrane. These aurosomes were similar to aurosomes produced by parenteral or intra-articular injections of soluble gold salts such as sodium aurothiomalate and aurothioglucose. This study shows, (1) that an orally administered gold compound is capable of producing gold deposits in the synovial membrane, and (2) that such compounds may have a future in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
6726269 Recovery from rheumatoid cerebral vasculitis. 1984 Apr A 48-year-old woman with the classical features of longstanding rheumatoid arthritis acutely developed a diffuse cerebral disease. Angiograms showed extensive cerebral vasculitis, and CT scan demonstrated cerebral oedema and haemorrhage. Her clinical state, EEG and CT scan rapidly returned to normal following treatment with corticosteroids.
1123379 Synovectomy for rheumatoid arthritis of the knee. 1975 Jan Synovectomy of the knee results in a satisfactory degree of pain relief in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Pain relief was equally good in our series in knees with clinically active synovitis, regardless of the amount of joint destruction, provided no gross malalignment, instability, or degeneration of joint surfaces was present. In 64 per cent of the knees there was some loss of range of motion; in 13 per cent, a gain in range of motion; and in 23 per cent, no change in the total range of motion. Only two knees in the entire series underwent fibrous ankylosis. The patients' estimates of their disease activity after surgery correlated very closely with the pain relief obtained. Most of those who estimated their activity to be very low had good pain relief, while those who had more active disease had less likelihood of a satisfactory result. Although long-term satisfactory results seemed to indicate that synovitis had been effectively suppressed by surgical synovectomy, the data in this series do not prove that synovectomy prevents destruction in the rheumatoid knee.
849948 Flexible (silicone) implant arthroplasty of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb. 1977 Apr Forty-four thumbs in thirty-four patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with a flexible implant arthroplasty of the metacarpophalangeal joint. After follow-ups ranging from two to six and a half years the results were rated good to excellent in forty-two thumbs since they were not painful, had an increased arc of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint in a more functional range, and were more effective in the activities of daily living. The results in this series indicated that careful reconstruction of the extensor apparatus is essential, as well as stabilization of the interphalangeal joint either by arthrodesis or by tenodesis if there is a hyperextension deformity. Of the six patients who had a fusion of the metacarpophalangeal joint in one thumb and an arthroplasty in the other, five preferred the arthroplasty because the joint was stable and also had a useful arc of motion, while one noted no difference between the two thumbs.
6237660 Thalidomide. A promising new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. 1984 Oct In an open study, oral administration of thalidomide to 7 female patients with classic or definite rheumatoid arthritis, in doses ranging from 6.9 to 15 mg/kg/day, led to clinical improvement within several weeks. In 4 women, remission lasted long after discontinuation of the drug. All patients showed normalization or marked reduction of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and several showed a significant decrease in rheumatoid factor titer. Adverse side effects included drowsiness, constipation, and edema of the lower limbs, which disappeared after discontinuation of the drug.
7381033 Histocompatibility antigens and gold toxicity: a preliminary report. 1980 Apr To investigate the possibility that genetic factors are involved in the outcome of gold salt therapy for arthritis, histocompatibility antigens (HLA) were determined for 32 patients treated with gold salts. A comparison of patients who achieved remission following gold therapy with those who did not failed to demonstrate any difference in HLA antigens. Patients who had experienced adverse reactions during gold therapy were found to have an increased frequency of the HLA-B12 antigen. Gold toxicity occurred in 69.2 per cent (9/13) of patients with the B12 antigen, compared with 26.3 per cent (5/19) of patients without the antigen (P = 0.035).
7114919 Rheumatoid and other diseases of the cervical interspinous bursae, and changes in the spin 1982 Aug Bursal spaces between the cervical interspinous processes were found at necropsy in 14 out of 27 "normal' adult necks, especially when the spines were close together. In this random series they were the seat of crystallopathic disease in 2 instances out of 14 cases. In spines from 9 cases of adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid bursitis was seen in 2 and banal bursitis in 2. In juvenile-onset chronic arthritis inflammatory bursal changes of rheumatoid nature were found in 2 out of 5 cases, and are compared with the "normal'. A third case showed crystallopathic destruction. In one instance of adult RA very severe changes were seen, with destruction of the spinous processes, and this was associated with hypermobile segments dependent on discal destruction starting in the oncovertebral joints. An association is described between discal lesions, spinous erosion, enthesopathy, and interspinous bursitis.
81518 Characterization of the DNA-synthesizing cells in rheumatoid synovial tissue. 1978 DNA-synthesizing cells from the rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue of 7 patients and from 5 patients with traumatic and degenerative joint lesions were studied by incubating fresh synovial tissue samples with tritiated thymidine. Labelled cells were identified using autoradiography. The tissue sections were stained with methyl green pyronine. It was found that 0.66% (range 0.38-1.4) of the cells were labelled with 3H-thymidine whereas in control materials the percentage was 0.17 (range 0-0.38). Approximately half of the labelled subsynovial cells in rheumatoid patients (range 37-67%) were small lymphocytes, according to morphological criteria. About one-tenth of the labelled cells (range 0-17%) looked like medium-sized lymphocytes, while the rest had the characteristics of fibroblasts or were unidentifiable.