Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M B Urowitz

Publications and source records attributed to M B Urowitz.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Comparison of osteitis condensans ilii and ankylosing spondylitis in female patients: clinical, radiological and HLA typing characteristics.

A study comparing 12 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to 25 with osteitis condensans ilii (OCI), referred to a rheumatic disease center, was carried out to determine whether OCI represents a varient of AS in women. In the group with OCI, chronic lumbodorsal pain was present in 9, 36%, a 'fibrositis' syndrome in 6, 24%, and 16, 64% had recurrent episodes of polyarthralgia. A definite arthritis with effusion developed in 10 patients, 40%. No patient with OCI had iritis or colitis, whereas 4 patients with AS had iritis and four had colitis. Radiographs of the spine showed no evidence of spondylitis in the OCI group. Of the 25 patients with OCI, only 2, 8% were HLA B27 positive compared with 11 of 12 patients with AS, 92%. These results suggest that OCI is not a variant of AS in women.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Brain scan diagnosis of central nervous system involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Twenty-five patients with 29 episodes of active systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system involvement were studied according to a uniform protocol. Brain scans were found to be abnormal in all patients studied, and electroencephalograms were abnormal in 20/25 patients. Serial brain scanning was found to be useful in the diagnosis of exacerbations and the monitoring of corticosteroid dosage.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Nail lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Unusual nail changes have been observed in 42 of 165 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed at the Wellesley Hospital, Toronto, Canada, over the past seven years. These changes had almost the same frequency as mucous membrane ulcerations seen in 31% of the patients. Nail changes were associated with active disease in 39 of the 42 patients. Patients with nail changes had a significantly higher incidence of Raynaud's phenomenon and mucous membrane ulcerations than patients without these changes. There was no increased incidence of other skin manifestations or of systemic vasculitis in these patients. Thus, nail changes may be an additional helpful criterion in the diagnosis of SLE.

Female↗
PubMed1978

Systemic lupus erythematosus with negative LE cells and antinuclear factor.

In the course of a prospective study of 165 patients with SLE a subgroup of eight patients with active SLE yet with persistently negative tests for ANF and LE cells was identified. These patients were characterized by a photosensitive skin rash with a negative lupus band test, a high incidence of arthritis, mild form of renal disease, and a positive family history for connective tissue disease. Antibodies to DNA and cytoplasmic antigens were detected in a few.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Azathioprine in early rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison with gold and chloroquine.

This study compares the effect of azathioprine with those of gold and chloroquine in early (Class II) rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thirty-three similar patients with classic or definite RA of less than 5 years duration were randomly entered, 11 into each drug group. Assessment of standard clinical and laboratory measures at 12 and 24 weeks showed significant improvement in all three groups. In general, all three drugs were effective antirheumatic agents with low toxicity. However, because of serious potential toxicity, azathioprine could not be recommended over gold and chloroquine in early RA therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Felty's syndrome. Clinical and serological analysis of 34 cases.

Review of 34 cases of Felty's syndrome showed this to be a form of 'super' rheumatoid disease because of the severity of joint disease, the prominence of extra-articular features and the remarkable incidence of infection. The response to splenectomy in these 34 patients was shown by a return towards normal of peripheral blood abnormalities and a decrease in bone marrow granulopoiesis. Although some patients remained free of infection after splenectomy, others have continued to have infections despite the return of white blood cell counts to normal levels. Although splenectomy and subsequent increase in white blood cell levels may be beneficial, our experience suggests that other factors are important in the susceptibility to infection of Felty's syndrome patients. Moreover, we think that splenectomy may have been instrumental in the fatal infection of one of our patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

HLA B27 in rheumatoid factor-negative polyarthritis.

Eighty-three consecutive patients with rheumatoid factor-negative polyarthritis seen during a 1-year period were evaluated clinically, radiologically, and with the B27 test. Patients with definite spondylitis, juvenile chronic polyarthritis, a collagen disease, a known metabolic arthropathy, or primary generalized osteoarthritis were excluded. The patients could be classified into two groups independent of any knowledge of B27 testing. Twenty-five had a spondylitic "variant" syndrome. These could be diagnosed on clinical grounds, and included a male preponderance and a high frequency of B27 positivity. Fifty-eight patients, who could generally be classified by American Rheumatism Association criteria as having definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis, included a female preponderance and a normal prevalence of B27. Thus the B27 test was not more helpful than clinical diagnosis in the classic spondylitic variant syndromes, nor did it separate out a population of patients from among the seronegative rheumatoid arthritis group.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

HLA antigens in osteitis condensans ilii and ankylosing spondylitis.

Using a standard microdroplet lymphocyte cytotoxicity test for tissue typing, the distribution of the HLA antigens was determined in 37 female patients; 25 with osteitis condensans ilii (OCI) and 12 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Although low back pain was a common feature of OCI, none of these patients exhibited the limitation of spinal involvement, radiological evidence of spondylitis, or progressive clinical course seen in the AS group. Four of the 25 patients with OCI (16 per cent) were B27 positive vs 11 of the 12 patients with AS (92 per cent). These results suggest that OCI is not a variant of AS in women.

Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic↗
PubMed1977

Systemic lupus erythematosus. A review of 110 cases with reference to nephritis, the nervous system, infections, aseptic necrosis and prognosis.

Observations made on 110 patients with SLE over a four and a half year period have been reviewed. The patients were seen at intervals of two months when, both clinical and serological findings were recorded, according to a set protocol. The results have been presented with particular reference to nephritis, neurological manifestations, infections, aseptic necrosis, mortality and predicted survival. Such studies have led to the identification of various prognosis factors in SLE, and assisted in providing better directed therapy. The results indicate a milder from of SLE in the patients of this series when compared with previously published studies, and is more representative of the wide spectrum of disease severity seen in the general population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

The fixed lupus hand deformity and its surgical correction.

In a prospective study of 125 patients with SLE, three females developed fixed hand deformities. All had arthritis for more than 10 years, and had been treated with a mean daily dose of 15 mg of prednisone. The hand deformities consisted of irreducible metacarpophalangeal (MCP) subluxation and/or dislocation without erosion or destruction of the MCP joints, resulting in hyperflexion of the fingers in the palm. Two patients had dislocation of the carpometacarpal joints in both hands. On patient developed reducible swan-neck deformities in the second to fifth fingers of both hands and a second patient developed Boutonniere deformities in two fingers of one hand and clinodactyly of both fifth fingers. Because the deformity at the MCP joints resulted from soft tissue contractures in the intrinsics and long flexors, and because the cartilage of the MCP joint was preserved, a joint replacement was not considered. Metacarpal osteotomy and shortening was performed to decompress the contracted soft tissues. At follow-up (18-96 months), the hands remained corrected and all patients were able to perform normal activities.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The bimodal mortality pattern of systemic lupus erythematosus.

The changing pattern of mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) led to an examination of the deaths in a long-term systematic analysis of 81 patients followed for five years at the University of Toronto Rheumatic Disease Unit. During the follow-up 11 patients died; six patients died within the first year after diagnosis (group I) and five patients died an average of 8.6 years (from 2.5 to 19.5 years) after diagnosis (group II). In those who died early, the SLE was active clinically and serologically, and nephritis was present in four. Their mean prednisone dose was 53.3 mg/day. In four patients a major septic episode contributed to their death. In those who died late in the course of the disease, only one patient had active lupus and none had active lupus nephritis. Their mean prednisone dose was 10.1 mg/day taken for a mean of 7.2 years. In none was sepsis a contributing factor to their death. All five of these patients had had a recent myocardial infarction at the time of death; in four, ti was the primary cause of death. Mortality in SLE follows a bimodal pattern. Patients who die early in the course of their disease, die with active lupus, receive large doses of steroids and have a remarkable incidence of infection. In those who die late in the course of the disease, death is associated with inactive lupus, long duration of steroid therapy and a striking incidence of myocardial infarction due to atherosclerotic heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Pericardial fluid analysis in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis).

A patient with scleroderma who presented with pericarditis and effusion is described. Aspirates from this pericardial effusion had the characteristics of an exudate with no evidence of autoantibodies, immune complexes or complement depletion. These findings suggest that the mechanisms operating in the production of pericardial effusion in scleroderma may be different from those found in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

Gold-induced enterocolitis. Case report and literature review.

A case of gold-induced enterocolitis and a review of the literature are reported. Gold-induced enterocolitis appears to be an uncommon reaction, occurring in middle-aged females who have received low doses of gold preparations. Symptoms may include fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea with or without blood. The whole of the gastrointestinal tract may be involved and fatal cases occur. The diagnosis of a primary enteropathic arthropathy may be suggested. Cessation of gold, glucocorticoids and supportive therapy are indicated. The mechanism of the reaction is still unknown.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1976

Acute leukemia in rheumatoid arthritis treated with cytotoxic agents.

Acute leukemia is described in two patients treated with cytotoxic agents for a destructive, seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. Both patients had received longterm azathioprine therapy. In addition, one patient had been treated with cyclophosphamide, the other with melphalan. Chromosomal abnormalities were noted in both patients. Studies in one patient included colony forming units, ferrokinetics, electron microscopy of bone marrow, and autopsy examination. All reports of acute leukemia associated with cytostatic drugs in the literature to date are reviewed and the possible mechanisms discussed. It is suggested that patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with azathioprine and alkylating agents may have an increased risk of developing a therapy-related acute leukemia.

Acute Disease↗