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Biomedical subjects

C Salvarani

Publications and source records attributed to C Salvarani.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Clinical response to auranofin in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Fifty-two patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA), treated with auranofin (AF), were entered into a one year prospective, open study. The total group showed a significant increase in frequency of HLA antigens A1 and B38, and a reduction of B5 when compared to healthy controls. There was a remission or an important improvement of disease in the 51% of 45 patients who completed the study. The rate of withdrawal due to side effects was low (8.8%) and the toxicity was mild in nature (diarrhoea and mucocutaneous rash). We prospectively sought predictors of response using HLA antigens, and clinical and laboratory parameters at the beginning of therapy. The only 3 factors found to be related to outcome were duration of psoriasis, physician and patient assessment of disease activity. No laboratory data or HLA specificities could be associated with substantial response to AF therapy.

Arthritis↗

Anticardiolipin antibodies in a case of neuro-Behçet with superior vena caval occlusion.

The patient, a 55-year-old man with neuro-Behçet, developed superior vena caval occlusion. Antibodies to cardiolipin were detected in high titres in his serum and a decreased fibrinolysis was also found. It is suggested that anticardiolipin antibodies, perhaps decreasing fibrinolysis, may play an important pathogenic role in some patients with Behçet's disease.

Antibodies↗

Polyarteritis nodosa and HIV infection: no evidence of a direct pathogenic role of HIV.

A case of polyarteritis nodosa identified by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 criteria in a 44-year-old HIV-infected man is described. The search for cytomegalovirus, HBV and B19 parvovirus infections was negative. In situ hybridization did not reveal proviral HIV-1 DNA in a skin sample. A zidovudine-associated vasculitis was excluded. Corticosteroid therapy resolved vasculitis manifestations and was well tolerated without opportunistic infections during the 10-month follow-up period. An indirect pathogenetic role of HIV as a possible cause of vascular damage cannot be excluded in our patient.

Adult↗

[Reactive arthritis: advances in diagnosis and treatment].

Reactive Arthritis (ReA) is an aseptic synovitis developing after a primary infection distant from the joint, mainly localized in the gastrointestinal (Enteroarthritis) or genitourinary tract (Uroarthritis). Because of either the asymmetric joint involvement, the possibility of involvement of the spine and enthesis, and the HLA-B27 association ReA is considered one of the spondylarthropathies. Recently, bacterial components or viable bacteria were found in joints during ReA. For this reason, the limits between ReA itself and infectious arthritis are now less definite. Generally accepted diagnostic and classification criteria are still lacking but the improvement in techniques for detection of bacteria increase the possibility to identify the triggering agents. Several studies have examined the role of antimicrobial drugs in ameliorating the natural course of ReA, with some positive results for Uroarthritis only. However, more conventional treatments based on NSAIDs, sulfasalazine and steroids are effective in many cases.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Isolated tenosynovitis associated with psoriasis triggered by physical injury.

A 60-year-old man who had been suffering from psoriasis for 20 years developed finger dactylitis and inflammatory swelling with pitting edema over the dorsum of the hand one week after a contusive trauma to the left hand. These were not followed by any other clinical manifestations of PsA.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

[The preparation and characterization of steroid antisera (author's transl)].

The steroids, as compounds of low molecular weight, are not immunogenic; however, certain small molecules (haptens) when covalently linked to proteins become antigenic i.e., they provoke the production of unique antibody. If a steroid were covalently copuled to a protein, an artifical antigen would be produced capable of eliciting the formation of antibody with specificity not only for the protein carrier but also for the particular haptenic steroid. The results would be an in vivo production of a tailor made binding sites for any steroid that can be attached as a hapten to a protein by covalent bonds and thus become antigenic. This procedure allow the preparation of steroid specific antisera suitable for clinical use in radioimmunoassay, methods. The Authors report the techniques of preparation of steroid-derivative antigens of Androstenedion, Testosteron, and Progesteron. The three derivative steroid antigens have shown a good antigenic property by eliciting the formation of specifical antisera in 5 out of 6 rabbits used for the immunization. After 10 weeks from the beginning of immunization antisera useful in radioimmunoassay at the diluition 1/300; 1/1600; 1/2000 respectively for Progesteron, Testosteron and Androstenedion were obtained. The standard curves show a good sensitivity suitable for clinical use.

Androstenedione↗

Relationship between serum RANTES levels and radiological progression in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum chemokines and the clinical and radiological response to a one-year course of methotrexate (MTX) in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Twenty out-patients suffering from active RA entered a one-year open prospective study on the effects of low dose MTX therapy. Plain radiographs of the hands and feet were taken at study entry and at the end of the follow-up, and were compared for the number of eroded joints. Serum levels of both C-X-C and C-C chemokines were obtained before the initation of MTX and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: The levels of serum RANTES before treatment were significantly higher in RA patients than in the controls and returned to normal levels after one year of treatment. Serum levels of the other chemokines were either in the normal range or undetectable. Twelve patients (60%) did not show any new eroded joints at the end of the follow-up period and were considered as radiological responders (RR). Serum levels of GRO-alpha and RANTES after 6 months of treatment were significantly higher among the patients with radiological progression than in RR patients. CONCLUSIONS: We observed high levels of serum RANTES in a series of RA patients during the active stage of the disease. MTX treatment significantly lowered the serum levels of RANTES, GRO-alpha and MCP-1. High levels of serum RANTES or GRO-alpha after 6 months of MTX treatment seem to be predictive of radiological erosions after one year.

Acute Disease↗