The Authors describe the various anomalies of the metabolism of tryptophan that are observed in various diseases. The oxidative pathway is most important of the metabolic pathway of the amino acid; the degredation of tryptophan is particularly influenced by steroid hormones and vitamins' want. The metabolic anomalies are demonstrable both in malignant tumors (mostly in bladder cancer and Hodgkin's disease), both during psychiatric diseases (such as depression and schizophrenia) and in the diseases of connective tissue in addition to congenital errors of the degradation of tryptophan (such as Hartnup's disease, tryptophanuria and 3-hydroxychinureninuria). The metabolic pictures are manifest after amino acid's in the diseases of connective tissue but are independent for clinical seriousness and, in any case, less significant than those observed in other pathological pictures, mostly in Hodgkin's disease. The existence of anomalies of tryptophan's metabolism is certainly shown in many diseases, however the true physiopathogenetic meaning of these metabolic alterations is not yet specified. Particularly it is not definite if these alterations are the cause of diseases, which they appear in, or if they are secondary alterations.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Critical considerations on the behavior of immunoglobulins in rheumatoid arthritis].

Critical evaluation of immunoglobulins in Rheumatoid Arthritis. It has been studied the behavior of the serum and synovial immunoglobulins of 62 patients afftected arthritis reheumatoid in various clinic stages; the valued have been expressed in mg% and mg/g of proteins. The serum levels of the IgG and IgA are higher in the cases of R.A. than in normals. The synovial concentrations of the IgA and IgM are lower than the respective serum values, while the phenomenon is less evident for the IgG probably because the last are synthetised in the synovial means. It exists, however, a interdipendence between the concentration of the serum and synovial immunoglobulins. The concentrations of the immunoglobulines, both serum and synovial, are not in relation with the most usual humoral phlogosis-tests, as well as they are not correlable with the values of the naturals antiproteases and with some fractions of the complement (both of the classic and alternative pathway). The variations of the immunoglobulins are, in the R.A., aspecific and of different intensity therefore their determination is not proposable neither as test of measure of the phlogosis nor as index of disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of new osteotropic isotopes in osteoarticular diseases, with special reference to phlogistic arthropathies].

By using an osteotropic complex (99mTc pyrophosphate) scintigraphic and scintiphotographic images were obtained with a view to studying the bone changes in inflammatory arthropathies. In rheumatoid arthritis there is an increase in radioactivity next to affected joints and this phenomenon which seems to contrast with the osteoporosis of the juxta-articular regions is confirmed, since the reduced density that is observed in the radiograms is a result of the lack of equilibrium between bone formation and bone resorption, but only if these two processes are proceeding actively. The "warm" zones, which are very close to the joints, are just as easy to see in relation to inflamed joints as they are in relation to joints in which the inflammation has ceased. Not all the inflamed joints accumulate the radioactive osteotropic complex. The bone changes can occur in cases of chronic inflammatory arthropathies only if the inflammation has been present for at least several months. The images obtained with the polyphosphate correspond to those that can be obtained with other calcium-mimetic and osteotropic isotopes (Sr etc.).

Arthritis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in Turner's syndrome.

An increased risk for autoimmune diseases has been recognized in Turner's syndrome (T.S.). However autoimmune rheumatic or connective tissue disorders have not been described. We report here on a 8-8/12 year old caucasian girl with T.S. and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). The hypothesis that the association is more than casual is discussed.

Arthritis, Juvenile↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between areas of popliteal cysts and radiological damage in rheumatoid arthritis and in osteoarthritis.

Fifty-five patients, (30 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and 25 Osteoarthritis (OA], with knee synovial effusion and popliteal cysts, visualized through arthrograms, were studied. A relationship was sought between radiological findings and area of the cysts, measured through a millimeter grid. Ten radiological parameters were graded and summed up to obtain a "total knee score". A "total geode score" was also obtained by scoring, separately, the geodes. In addition two specific indexes were used--for comparison--the erosive index, modified after Berens and Lin, in RA and the Kelligren's index in OA. In RA a statistically significant, inverse correlation was found between the x-ray scores and the area of the cysts, while such a relationship was not observed in OA. However, only a third of the cysts accounted for the inverse relationship in RA. Furthermore, two control groups of RA and OA patients revealed a striking association between degree of radiological damage and frequency of popliteal cysts. Therefore, the hypothesis that popliteal cysts might have a protective effect against the articular-bone damage in RA, can be held only in few cases.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bronchoalveolar lavage analysis of interstitial lung disease in CREST syndrome.

The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique was used to characterize inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract of seven nonsmoking patients with CREST syndrome and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Differential cell counts in the BAL fluid showed a significant increase of neutrophils (p less than 0.05) and eosinophils (p less than 0.01) in comparison to normal subjects. In three patients there was also an increase of lymphocytes. No correlation was found between BAL and duration of scleroderma and/or lung function tests. The BAL findings in these scleroderma patients resemble those of idiopathic interstitial fibrosis suggesting that a similar inflammatory process occurs within the lower respiratory tract.

Aged↗