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Biomedical subjects

R Luukkainen

Publications and source records attributed to R Luukkainen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Predictive value of synovial fluid analysis in estimating the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The predictive relevance of synovial fluid analysis and some other variables for the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and hydropsy in a knee joint was evaluated in a prospective study. At the onset of the study, the knee joints were aspirated and 30 mg triamcinolone hexacetonide injected intra-articularly. The circumferences and the tenderness scores of the knee joints were measured at onset, after two months, and at the end of the six months' follow up. Of the variables studied, synovial fluid C4, percentage of synovial fluid polymorphonuclear leucocytes, blood haemoglobin, and serum C3 correlated significantly with the decrease in knee joint circumference after two months, whereas only the percentage of synovial fluid polymorphonuclear leucocytes correlated significantly after six months. Between the patients with and without improvement in the tenderness scores of the knee joints, only serum IgM differed at the examination after two months; this was higher in patients whose scores showed no improvement.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Frozen hip.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Hidden psoriatic arthritis in seronegative oligoarthritis: a 14-year follow-up study.

Out of a cohort of 64 patients with seronegative oligoarthritis (SO), 8 patients with HLA-B13, 5 with Bw16 and 3 with HLA-B17 were invited to participate in a 14-year check-up. Thirteen patients showed some features of psoriatic arthritis, including 5 with suspected skin or nail disease, 5 with a family history of psoriasis, 3 with DIP joint affliction, and 2 with aortic valve insufficiency. It is concluded that a quarter of the patients with SO may have hidden psoriatic arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Prognostic significance of synovial fluid analysis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Thirty patients with definite rheumatoid arthritis and hydropsy in a knee joint were followed for 42 months in a prospective study. The knee joints were initially aspirated and 15 synovial fluid variables investigated. The patients were split into two groups, those with and those without progress of radiologically detected destruction in the knee joints during the follow-up. Of the synovial fluid variables at the start synovial fluid proteins (P = 0.002) and acid phosphatase (P = 0.03) differed statistically significantly between the groups, both being higher in patients with worsening of knee joint. The results suggest that high synovial fluid proteins and acid phosphatase are predictors of poor prognosis in a joint affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Sulfasalazine in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. A twenty-six-week, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Eighty-five patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were randomized to receive either sulfasalazine (less than or equal to 3 gm/day, mean 2.5) or placebo for 26 weeks. There was a statistically significant improvement, compared with baseline, in most of the clinical variables in patients receiving the active drug. Laboratory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, IgG, IgM, and IgA) also improved during the active treatment, suggesting a beneficial effect of sulfasalazine on AS. At the end of the treatment, significant differences between the sulfasalazine and placebo groups were observed in morning stiffness, chest expansion, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and in all immunoglobulin classes. Two patients in each treatment group discontinued the trial because of side effects. Enteric-coated sulfasalazine seemed to be effective and well tolerated in patients with active AS.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1987

Work capacity of patients with inflammatory joint diseases. An eight-year follow-up study.

In a prospective study of recent arthritis, 103 patients had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 63 seronegative oligoarthritis (SO), 67 reactive arthritis (REA), 20 ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and 13 psoriatic arthritis (PA). At the 8-year check-up, 36% of patients with RA were at work, compared with 69% in PA (p less than 0.002), and 85-90% in AS, SO, and REA (p less than 0.001). Correspondingly 43% of the RA patients were disabled by arthritis, compared with 23% in PA (NS), 15% in AS (p less than 0.005), none in SO, and 4% in REA (p less than 0.001). No significant differences in work capacity were noted between patients with PA, AS, SO or REA. In RA, the educational backgrounds of patients unable to work (44 patients) and able to work (37 patients) did not differ from each other or from the overall population of Finland, but a significantly (p less than 0.01) smaller number of patients with arduous work were able to continue at work. The mean age of 49 years for RA patients unable to work differed highly significantly (p less than 0.001) from the 35 years of RA patients at work. However, the weightiest cause of limited work capacity was severity of disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Comparison of the analgesic effect of ten nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The analgesic effect of 10 anti-inflammatory drugs was compared using a single-blind method in 90 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Each patient received two different drugs, for three days each and each drug was evaluated in 18 patients. After the trial, the patients considered which of the drugs they preferred. The greatest relief from pain was achieved by diclofenac, indomethacin, naproxen and tolfenamic acid, each of these being preferred by the majority of patients and being significantly (p less than 0.01) better than the least effective drugs ketoprofen and proquazone. Acetylsalicylic acid, azapropazone, carprofen and ibuprofen were considered intermediate in efficacy.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Relationship between clinical synovitis and radiological destruction, in rheumatoid arthritis.

The clinical synovitis and radiological destruction of wrist and subtalar joints were followed over a 3-year period in 107 patients with rheumatoid arthritis of no longer than 6 months' duration. The joints were examined clinically and by X-ray on entry to study, at one year and at three years of study. The progress of joint destruction was highly significantly correlated with the frequency of clinical synovitis at the three examinations in both wrist and subtalar joints.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1983

Prognostic value of the type of onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

The type of onset in 235 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was acute in 69, subacute in 55, and gradual in 111 patients. The radiological destruction of the hands and feet after 7 years from the beginning of the disease was the same in all patient groups. Thus the nature of the onset of RA seems not to have any significant influence on the outcome of the arthritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Long-term prognosis of monoarthritis. A follow-up study.

During 1973-75, a total of 446 patients with recent arthritis were examined. The diagnosis in 32 cases was non-classified monoarthritis. After the 3-9 years' follow-up of these 32 patients, two seropositive, definite rheumatoid arthritis cases (6%), and one ankylosing spondylitis case were noted. In the remaining patients the diagnosis was still non-specific arthritis. Of the 31 patients tested, 39% were HLA-B27-positive. The difference between this and the HLA-B27-positivity in the normal Finnish population (14%) is statistically significant (p less than 0.005). At the end of the follow-up the good prognosis of monoarthritis was confirmed: only one erosion developed in one patient's hands or feet.

Adult↗