Synovial tissues from 5 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined with immunofluorescence microscopy for the presence of lymphocytes with either bone marrow-derived (B) or thymus-derived (T) surface markers. Five synovial tissues with severe to mild lymphocytic infiltrations by bright field microscopy were examined in parallel with immunofluorescence. B cells were identified with a pepsin-digested fluoresceinated anti-F (ab')2 antiserum and T cells were detected with a specific rabbit anti-T lymphocyte antiserum. By these techniques 75-90% of the lymphocytes in these frozen sections were identified as T cells. Cell suspensions were also prepared by collagenase digestion of two of the five synovial tissues. The lymphocytes in these cell suspensions were predominantly T lymphocytes (78-85%) as shown by their ability to form spontaneous rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (E rosettes).

Antilymphocyte Serum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhalation of organic solvents does not promote synovial tissue inflammation in rats.

Organic solvent exposure is known to give rise to a variety of manifestations in the nervous system both in man and in animals. Cardiac and skeletal muscle can also be affected, and strange collagen-like diseases, arthritis and arthralgia have been reported. In this work PVG rats were exposed to inhalation of toluene, commercial hexane, an industrial steel primer, and a cold vulcanizer for 4 months. No signs of synovitis appeared, either macroscopically or histologically, and there were no systemic signs of inflammation as detected by increased acute phase reactants.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the VIDAS Listeria (LIS) immunoassay for the detection of Listeria in foods using demi-Fraser and Fraser enrichment broths, as modification of AOAC Official Method 999.06 (AOAC Official Method 2004.06).

A multilaboratory study was conducted to compare the VIDAS LIS immunoassay with the standard cultural methods for the detection of Listeria in foods using an enrichment modification of AOAC Official Method 999.06. The modified enrichment protocol was implemented to harmonize the VIDAS LIS assay with the VIDAS LMO2 assay. Five food types--brie cheese, vanilla ice cream, frozen green beans, frozen raw tilapia fish, and cooked roast beef--at 3 inoculation levels, were analyzed by each method. A total of 15 laboratories representing government and industry participated. In this study, 1206 test portions were tested, of which 1170 were used in the statistical analysis. There were 433 positive by the VIDAS LIS assay and 396 positive by the standard culture methods. A Chi-square analysis of each of the 5 food types, at the 3 inoculation levels tested, was performed. The resulting average Chi square analysis, 0.42, indicated that, overall, there are no statistical differences between the VIDAS LIS assay and the standard methods at the 5% level of significance.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ankylosing spondylitis and pregnancy.

The pregnancy-induced remission typical of RA does not seem to occur in pregnant women with AS. The mechanisms for this difference are not understood, but appear to be related to different pathogenetic mechanisms operating in the two diseases. The vast majority of women with ankylosing spondylitis can expect to have the same rate of fertility, course of pregnancy and birth, and to give birth to normal healthy babies to the same extent as the normal female population. The chance for the offspring to contract AS later in life is somewhat increased.

Female↗

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Amyloidosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In spite of an apparent decrease in its occurrence during the last 2-3 decades, amyloidosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis is a significant cause of increased morbidity and early death in both juvenile- and adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Like other forms of reactive amyloidosis, the amyloid fibrils associated with rheumatoid disorders are of the protein AA type, and the acute phase reactant SAA, which is complexed to high density lipoprotein in serum, is its putative precursor. Raised SAA appears to be one of the prerequisites for the development of reactive, AA amyloid. Effective treatment of the underlying disorder i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, which lowers the levels of SAA is, therefore, recommended both as a prophylactic and therapeutic measure against reactive amyloidosis. As renal disease is the most severe and life-threatening consequence of reactive amyloidosis, both hemodialysis and renal transplantation are also to be considered in such patients.

Amyloid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunoglobulin-related (AL) amyloidosis.

The amyloid fibril is the unique component of amyloid substances. Some amyloid fibrils (i.e. AL amyloid) are made up by homogeneous immunoglobulin light chains, and such fibrils are related to systemic and localized primary amyloidosis and amyloidosis associated with myelomatosis and Waldenstrøm's macroglobulinaemia. More lambda than kappa light chain proteins make up the amyloid in these cases, and it appears that lambda-chains are more prone to fibril formation than kappa-chains. Immunoglobulins are thus the precursor protein for AL amyloid, which shows that primary amyloidosis belongs to the plasma cell dyscrasias. Amyloid infiltration of the heart and the kidneys accounts for the most severe clinical consequences of AL amyloidosis. In addition, peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, macroglossia, skin affections, amyloid arthropathy and autonomic disturbances (i.e. orthostatic hypotension) are characteristic features of the disease. Involvement of parenchymal organs (kidneys, liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract and endocrine glands) are common to systemic AL amyloidosis and secondary amyloidosis. As protein AA is the major fibril constituent of secondary amyloid, this form of amyloid disease is not related to immunoglobulins. Like other forms of plasma cell dyscrasia, patients with AL amyloidosis are usually treated with cytotoxic drugs and corticosteroids, however, the prognosis is very poor with a reported survival time after diagnosis of less than two years.

Amyloid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study in patients living in northern Norway.

OBJECTIVE: To study quality of life parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the possible association of these parameters with disease activity. METHODS: Fifty-two women with rheumatoid arthritis and 52 controls completed two self reporting psychiatric screening tests: the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ - 30) and the Cantril Ladder scale. The number of psychiatric cases detected was not significantly higher for either group using the GHQ score S+ as the criterion. RESULTS: Comparing the GHQ scores, patients showed a higher score compared with the controls (p = 0.02). The patients scored significantly higher on feelings of incompetance (p = 0.004), but not on the other subgroups of psychiatric factors. The patients reported lower life satisfaction on the Cantril self anchoring ladder (p = 0.0001). The functional capacity score was positively associated with the GHQ score. No association was detected between disease duration or the other disease activity parameters and either the GHQ score or the life satisfaction score. CONCLUSION: This inconsistant relationship between clinical parameters and quality of life scores may be due to the fact that RA patients suffer from a chronic disease, or it may reflect an impaired psychosocial status in the patients. This study demonstrates that the increased psychological disturbances in women with RA is mainly explained by feelings of incompetance.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intravenous and oral cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in rheumatic diseases: side effects and complications.

Twenty five patients (12 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 6 with Wegener's granulomatosis, and 7 with miscellaneous rheumatic diseases) who had been on intravenous or oral cyclophosphamide pulse therapy for more than 3 months were evaluated for safety of treatment. Side effects were reported by 20 patients (80%), mainly nausea (17 patients, 68%). Complications were observed in 13 patients (52%), of whom 6 had severe infections (24%). Oral cyclophosphamide given in repeated low dose pulses (5 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days) is better tolerated with regard to nausea than intravenous administration. The use of cyclophosphamide therapy is recommended in patients with disease that does not respond to conventional regimens, although the attending physician should be aware that infections may appear at any time during treatment, and effective prophylaxis against nausea is required.

Administration, Oral↗