Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W C Dick

Publications and source records attributed to W C Dick.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Histocompatibility antigens and rheumatic diseases.

Great advances have been made during the last 10 years in the field of immunogenetics as applied to the rheumatic diseases. The association of particular rheumatic diseases with the gene products of the major histocompatibility system provides convincing evidence of a genetic basis for disease susceptibility and has enabled identification of genetic heterogeneity within disease groups. This review briefly discusses the biology of HLA system and its relevance for rheumatology today.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

The action of aspirin on plasma kininogen and other plasma proteins in rheumatoid patients: relationship to disease activity.

1. When six female seropositive rheumatoid patients were given placebo therapy for 48 h, their plasma kininogen level, 9.2 +/- 0.7 microgram bradykinin equivalents (bk eq) per ml, was found to be 59% greater than that of a group of eight healthy female volunteers (5.8 +/- 0.5 microgram/ml). 2. When the rheumatoid patients received aspirin therapy for 1 week, their mean plasma kininogen concentration fell by 31% to 6.3 +/- 0.8 microgram Bk eq/ml. This was accompanied by a 20.4% fall in mean plasma alpha 2-globulin level. Haematocrit and total plasma protein were not significantly altered (P > 0.05). 3. The fall in kininogen was very rapid, the main reduction occurring within the first hour. 4. Aspirin therapy greatly reduced the pain assessments but had no effect on plasma concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, complement component C3, nor on ESR, haemoglobin, leucocyte count, nor ring size. Left hand grip strength was increased while right hand grip strength was unchanged. 5. The action of aspirin on plasma kininogen and alpha 2-globulin was similar to that of indomethacin. Plasma kininogen has been considered to be an acute phase reactant. The possible diagnostic value of plasma kininogen estimation is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Plasma zinc and its relationship to clinical symptoms and drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis.

Total plasma zinc levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on different therapeutic treatments were determined in conjunction with total serum proteins, serum albumin and globulin, and articular index of joint tenderness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, serum copper, and serum iron. There were significantly lower zinc levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs than in patients on levamisole and penicillamine. Zinc levels correlated positively with serum albumin, and there was an inverse correlation between zinc levels and both ESR and globulin concentration in all rheumatoid patients. However, the correlation coefficient varied in the different treatment groups. The results of this study support the hypothesis that low plasma zinc level in rheumatoid arthritis is one of the nonspecific features of inflammation.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1980

Liver disease in rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis frequently have hepatosplenomegaly and biochemical features of hepatic disease. A prospective study with liver biopsy has been carried out in a series of 31 rheumatoid arthritis patients with clinical and/or biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction. Four of the 31 (13%) were found to have definable chronic liver disease, normal hepatic histology or non-specific reactive changes being found in the remainder. In the large majority of patients the hepatic abnormality in rheumatoid arthritis remains functional and unexplained.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1980

Problems in the clinical evaluation of antirheumatic drugs.

1. Subjective. Two of the major deficiencies of drug trials in rheumatoid arthritis are inadequate patient numbers and too brief a duration of study. For the past 5 years we have conducted a continuous programme of patient and drug assessment. Cohorts of patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis are encouraged to select the first-line drug of their own choice. (Within safe limits they are encouraged to vary the dose to suit their own symptoms.) The end point is the day on which the patient feels the drug is either ineffective or produces intolerable side effects. Each cohort comprises 100 patients and the results obtained with a variety of NSAID will be discussed in the context of the placebo response. 2. Objective. We have shown that 99mTc uptake is elevated over inflamed when compared with normal joints an that it may be reduced by first- and second-line treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in proportion to the changes observed with other subjective and objective assessment methods. Results in the 125I-fibrinogen and with radioactive gallium compared with radioactive 99mTc will be presented.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1979

Cold lymphocytotoxins in connective tissue disorders.

Sixty-eight patients with various connective tissue disorders, 5 relatives of patients and 26 members of staff from the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases were studied for the presence in their sera of cold lymphocytotoxic antibodies. Antibodies were found in 71 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 27 per cent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 0 per cent of the small group of relatives and 3.8 per cent of the controls. Absorption studies did not show T or B specificity of the antibodies. The control group, working in close proximity to the patients or their sera did not show any increased incidence of antibodies as compared to control groups of other studies. Red blood cell anti I or HI was found in the sera of 28 per cent of those with cold lymphocytotoxic antibodies. No correlation was found between the presence of the antibodies and number of blood transfusions or pregnancies, increasing age, R3 titre or antinuclear factor.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Pulmonary infection and rheumatoid arthritis.

Five of eleven patients with bronchiectasis and/or cystic fibrosis developed a polyarthritis with positive tests for rheumatoid factor. Possible mechanisms of this complication are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Continued use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: an index of clinical efficacy.

1 A double-blind entry to a trial of an active non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flurbiprofen against placebo was undertaken until 100 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis had been allocated to each treatment. 2 Each patient was given a long-term supply of drug and was asked to vary their own dosage within simple limits, according to the severity of their symptoms. They were instructed to return immediately they felt dissatisfied with their medication either on account of side-effect or of lack of effect. 3 The length of time that patients remained satisfied with their drug was used as the sole measure of efficacy of the drug. At 2 weeks there were only 30% remaining on placebo and by 4 months no patients remained satisfied with the inactive drug. Forty-three per cent were satisfied with flurbiprofen at the end of 1 year. 4 Clearly compliance with anti-rheumatic drugs is better if the drugs are effective and there is no long-term placebo response in rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Salicylates and homoeopathy in rheumatoid arthritis: preliminary observations.

This paper reports the results of a pilot study in which 41 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with high doses of salicylate, 3.9 g per day, and the results compared with a further 54 similar patients treated with homoeopathy. Both groups were compared with 100 patients who received placebo. 2 The patients who received homoeopathy did better than those who received salicylate. The design of the trial was such, however, that it was not possible to distinguish between the effects due to the physicians and the effects due to the drugs and a further trial is planned to elucidate this point. 3 Patients on homoeopathic treatment did not experience toxic effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

On the relationship between gastrin, gastric secretion, and adjuvant arthritis in rats.

The elevation of plasma immunoreactive gastrin known to occur during the induction of adjuvant-induced arthritis (Rooney et al., 1973) has been shown to be maximal at 7 days after injection. Gastrin administered exogenously accelerated and exacerbated the inflammatory joint disease. Some evidence has been presented that the endogenous immunoreactive gastrin had biological activity in terms of gastric acid secretion.

Animals↗