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S Maddali Bongi

Publications and source records attributed to S Maddali Bongi.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Shared-epitope HLA-DRB1 alleles and sex ratio in Italian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the HLA-DRB1 alleles sharing the epitope (Q/R)(K/R)RAA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a large sample of Italian patients (N = 264) recruited from a single centre over the last 5 years. METHODS: Patients' classification according to the ACR criteria. DNA typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles by conventional polymerase chain reaction sequence specific oligonucleotide probing techniques. RESULTS: Low-resolution DRB1 "generic" typing showed a significantly higher frequency of DR4+ RA patients as compared to normal controls. Both DR1 and DR10 specificities were over-represented in our patients, but neither reached the statistically significant P level of 0.05 after Bonferroni's correction. However, direct search of Q(K/R)RAA epitopes, which are present in most DR4+ and DRl+ samples, demonstrated that these motifs were found at increased frequencies in RA patients. Stratification according to gender did not show differences in the proportion of disease-associated HLA alleles. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the association of HLA-DR4, and -DR1 alleles, and more generally speaking of the shared epitopes Q(K/R)RAA, with disease susceptibility in Italian patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

A comparison of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of temporomandibular joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To define the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic (US) examination in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: MRI and US examinations were performed in 33 patients (22 with RA and 11 with PsA). Alterations of the disc, alterations of the condyle and joint effusion were evaluated. RESULTS: Pathological changes of the TMJ were observed by MRI in 24 patients and by US in 31 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of US were calculated in comparison with MRI. The sensitivity was 72.2% and the specificity was 60% in the assessment of pathological changes of the TMJ. The sensitivity was 69.6% with specificity of 30.0% in the assessment of alterations of the disc; the sensitivity was 70.6% with specificity of 75.0% in the assessment of joint effusion. Significant concordance was not observed in the assessment of condylar alterations. CONCLUSIONS: US imaging appears able to detect different pathological changes of the TMJ and may be considered an important diagnostic tool for clinical evaluation of the TMJ in RA and PsA.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

MRI of cerebral rheumatoid pachymeningitis: report of two cases with follow-up.

We report the clinical and neuroradiological features of cerebral rheumatoid pachymeningitis with 1 year follow-up in two patients. MRI of the head enabled noninvasive diagnosis of both the meningeal abnormality and its complications, consisting of hypertensive hydrocephalus and superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, respectively. Dural sinus thrombosis, very uncommon in rheumatoid arthritis, was confirmed by phase-contrast MRA. Worsening of the pachymeningitis at follow-up was observed in both patients despite regression or stability of the clinical picture and long-term therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Substance P in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Serum substance P was assayed in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls to evaluate whether neurogenic inflammation with substance P release is significant in rheumatoid arthritis. A very sensitive competitive immunoenzymetric assay was used. Mean serum substance P level was significantly higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients than in controls and was not correlated with disease duration, morning stiffness duration, Thompson's articular index, Larsen's radiographic score, or the following laboratory indices of inflammation: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. Neurogenic inflammation with substance P release may contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. The absence of correlations between serum substance P and clinical or laboratory indices of inflammation may reflect complex interactions between neurogenic inflammation and other pathogenic mechanisms, which may influence clinical features and laboratory tests in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[The use of low doses of sodium aurothiomalate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Current trends in basic therapy].

We studied 20 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis treated with small doses of sodium aurothiomalate (20 mg/month, seldom 40 mg/month) for a mean time of 6.1 years (range 2.7-10.6). 16 subjects were women and 4 men; their mean age was 58 years (range 35-77). 9 patients (45%) were affected by seropositive RA; the mean duration of disease was 1.5 years (range 0.3-7.3). 14 patients achieved the grade 1 of disease activity, evaluated by Mallya and Mace's (1981) criteria: 9 subjects after 3-9 months and 5 subjects after 2-5 years. The mean length of this remission state was 4.3 years (range 0.9-9.9). Side dermatological effects (skin rashes, pruritus, exfoliative dermatitis) were observed in 3 patients (15%); 1 patient (5%) was withdrawn from the study. We have discussed the numerous advantages of low doses of sodium aurothiomalate monotherapy, although this therapy has to be employed only in patients selected by prognostic features. Moreover we briefly mention the actual opinions in R.A. therapy that discuss the traditional pyramidal approach in favour of more aggressive therapy with combination of various disease-modifying drugs in many R.A. patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The diagnosis value of beta 2-microglobulin and immunoglobulins in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Salivary and serum concentrations of beta 2-microglobulin, salivary levels of the immunoglobulins, and salivary flow (as measured by a gravimetric method) were assessed in 34 patients and 11 controls. Of the 34 study patients, 16 had a primary form of Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and 18 had sicca syndrome. The salivary and serum concentrations of beta 2-microglobulin and salivary levels of IgA and IgG were much higher in the patients with pSS than in controls or those with sicca syndrome (p < 0.001). Similarly, the salivary IgM levels of patients with pSS were higher (although at a lower degree of statistical significance) as compared to those of patients with sicca syndrome (p < 0.01) or controls (p < 0.05). No correlation was observed among the salivary flow and the salivary IgG and IgM levels, while there was a negative relationship (p < 0.01 with salivary IgA levels in all 45 patients considered as a whole. In 12 patients with pSS, the coefficient of correlation between the salivary gland biopsy focus score and the salivary (but not serum) concentration of beta 2-microglobulin was highly significant (p < 0.001). A similar relationship was observed with the IgG (p < 0.001) and IgM (p < 0.05) levels, but not IgA. In the diagnosis of pSS, the salivary IgA level demonstrates high sensitivity and low specificity. In contrast, serum and salivary concentrations of beta 2-microglobulin, salivary IgG, and to a lesser degree, salivary IgM have high specificity and positive predictive value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[Salivary immunoglobulins in the diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome].

The salivary concentrations of immunoglobulins and total proteins and the salivary flow rate (measured by the method of Deniker et al.) were determined in 29 patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia and in 11 healthy subjects. According to Fox criteria the group pf 29 patients was divided into two groups: 14 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and 15 patients with sicca syndrome (SS). The IgA salivary levels were significantly higher in the patients with pSS than in the patients with SS (p < 0.05) and in the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). Moreover the IgG and IgM salivary levels in the first group of patients were higher than in the group of patients suffering from sicca syndrome (p < 0.05) and in the control group (p < 0.02). The salivary flow rate of the patients with pSS and sicca syndrome was lower when compared with the control group (p < 0.005). No significant correlation was found between the salivary flow rate and the immunoglobulins in the three groups of patients. The salivary flow was inversely correlated (p < 0.01) only with the IgA levels in all 40 subjects. The salivary total proteins were significantly elevated in pSS patients when compared with the SS patients (p < 0.04) and with the control group (p < 0.01). The immunoglobulins/total proteins ratios in saliva were significantly higher in the first group than in the other groups (p < 0.005) for the IgG and in the first group than in the SS patients (p < 0.05) for the IgM; no significant differences were noted for the IgA. The bioptic focus scores, graded according Greenspan's criteria, of minor salivary glands of 20 patients with pSS or sicca syndrome were directly correlated with a high significance (p < 0.001) to IgG salivary levels and with a lower significance (p < 0.05) with IgM salivary levels. No significant correlation was found between the bioptic focus scores and the IgA levels. The present results demonstrated a high specificity (100%) and a good sensitivity (86%) of the assessment of salivary IgG for the diagnosis of pSS. The sensitivity of the salivary levels of IgA was higher than that of IgG (93%) but the specificity was low (50%); on the contrary the specificity of the assessment of salivary IgM was good (92%) but the sensitivity was low (60%). This study therefore indicated that the assessment of salivary IgG has a great value for the diagnosis of pSS because IgG levels are related to the amount of lymphoplasmocytic infiltration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Female↗
PubMed1990

Superoxide anion production by circulating polymorphonuclear leucocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

In twelve rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, receiving only nonsteroid anti-inflammatory therapy, superoxide anion (02-) generation by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) was assessed by Cytochrome C reduction. The 02- production by non-activated PMNs in RA patients was significantly higher than in healthy controls. The 02- production by PMNs activated by zymosan and phorbol myristate acetate was significantly lower than in controls. PMNs from controls preincubated with rheumatoid sera generated higher 02- levels than the same PMNs incubated in normal sera.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Serum ferritin in rheumatoid arthritis: an acute phase protein or indication of iron deposits?].

Serum ferritin was determined in 24 menopausal women who did not have any iron metabolic disorders but were suffering from RA. We furthermore investigated its correlation to various clinical and laboratory indexes of activity. The regression analysis revealed significant coefficients of direct correlation between serum ferritin, ESR, and Ritchie's index as well as an indirect correlation to the hematic haemoglobin and to serum iron. These data would apparently be in agreement with the hypothesis that, during the course of RA, serum ferritin assumes the significance of an acute phase protein; nonetheless, in spite of this, these data would induce one to believe that the serum ferritin levels closely reflect that RES iron deposits, the extent of which is influenced by chronic phlogosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Sideropenic anemia in rheumatoid arthritis: diagnostic usefulness of serum ferritin, unsaturated transferrin and induced urinary siderosis].

The various erythrocyte indices, serum iron, unsaturated iron binding capacity, serum ferritin and sideruria after desferrioxamine were measured in a group of 30 patients with active Rheumatoid Arthritis and anemia. The patients were subdivided into two groups of 23 and 7 subjects based on the presence or absence of marrow iron stores, respectively. Significant differences in the mean values of unsaturated iron binding capacity (P less than 0.001), serum ferritin (P less than 0.01) and sideruria after desferrioxamine (P less than 0.001) were observed between the two groups of patients by statistical analysis. Unlike the other indices, the values assessed in the first and the second group of patients as for the above parameters did not overlap. A negative correlation index and a positive one of high significance (P less than 0.001) was found between the values of serum ferritin and those of unsaturated iron binding capacity and sideruria after desferrioxamine, respectively. The above results demonstrate that even in active Rheumatoid Arthritis a concomitant iron deficiency can be diagnosed by means of non-invasive, quantitative and easily reproducible methods.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between serum ferritin, iron stores and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

Bone marrow aspirate from the sternum of 40 patients with active or inactive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was stained with Perls' Prussian blue for iron determination. In these patients serum ferritin concentrations were correlated with other indices of iron stores and disease activity. In patients with active RA and without bone marrow iron stores, serum ferritin was significantly lower than in patients with either active or inactive RA and iron stores. In patients with bone marrow iron stores, serum ferritin was directly correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Ritchie index, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and desferrioxamine (DFO)-induced sideruria, while an inverse correlation of serum ferritin with hemoglobin and serum iron was observed. In all patients serum ferritin was significantly correlated only with DFO-induced sideruria and unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC). Thus, serum ferritin is an index of iron stores also in rheumatoid arthritis. In active disease, higher than expected values of serum ferritin are probably due to a shifting of iron from the circulating pool to the reticuloendothelial cells of the synovial membrane.

Adult↗