Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0003864 (arthritis)
 69,039 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We aspirated synovial fluid from the knees of 50 patients with asymptomatic, nontophaceous gout, in whom synovial fluid monosodium urate (MSU) crystals had previously been documented in the knees or other joints. Fifty-eight percent of these asymptomatic patients had MSU crystals in their knee joints. Serum uric acid levels, serum creatinine levels, volume of synovial fluid aspirated, and cell counts of the aspirated fluid did not differentiate the MSU crystal-positive group from the group without MSU crystals. Clinical factors such as alcohol abuse, coronary heart disease, hypertension, duration of gout, duration of the intercritical period, and drug therapy did not differentiate the 2 groups. Nineteen patients consented to aspiration of their other knee. Seven of these patients (37%) had MSU crystals bilaterally, and 6 patients (32%) had them unilaterally. The implications of the persistence of MSU crystals (including those in intracellular locations) in many patients, despite normalization of serum uric acid levels, should be determined. Knee joint aspiration is a sensitive method for the demonstration of MSU crystals in asymptomatic patients. The procedure might also be useful in documenting these crystals in patients who have had attacks of arthritis with features consistent with a diagnosis of gout, but in whom MSU crystals have not been documented.
Arthritis Rheum 1986 Dec
PMID:Monosodium urate crystals in the knee joints of patients with asymptomatic nontophaceous gout. 380 Oct 71

In this study bone morphometric findings in 19 heavy or moderate drinkers are compared with those in 43 non-drinkers (22 non-osteoporotic patients with osteo-arthritis (OA) and 21 osteoporotic patients with femoral neck fractures (FNFs). Transiliac bone biopsy specimens were examined for assessment of trabecular bone volume and thickness, bone resorption and formation, osteoid seam length and width and the mineralization front by quantitative histomorphometry and microradiography. Trabecular bone volume and thickness were significantly diminished in the drinking group when compared with those in the 22 non-drinking patients with OA (P less than 0,005 and P less than 0,0001 respectively). Bone formation was significantly lower in the drinkers than in the OA group (P less than 0,0005), and bone resorption was significantly greater in the drinkers than in the OA (P less than 0,005) and FNF (P less than 0,01) groups. In heavy drinkers bone formation was significantly lower (P less than 0,05) than in moderate drinkers. The extent of the mineralization front was significantly lower in the drinking group than in the OA (P less than 0,005) and FNF (P less than 0,0005) groups. Osteoid seam length and width did not differ in the three groups. The presence of abnormal liver function test results did not significantly affect any of the parameters. It is concluded that alcohol abuse is associated with: (i) uncoupling of bone resorption and bone formation; (ii) reduced trabecular bone volume and thickness; and (iii) a mild mineralization defect.
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PMID:Bone changes after alcohol abuse. 649 22

Prior attempts to identify factors associated with physical function (here, major lower body movements) among African Americans have been constrained by a narrow range of measures, small sample sizes, or both. The 1992 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) contains a substantial over-sample of African Americans (649 men and 957 women self-respondents aged 51 to 61 years), and detailed measures of high-risk behaviors, disease prevalence and severity, impairment, and physical function. We extend the natural history of disease to the natural history of functional status and model sociodemographic characteristics, high-risk behaviors, disease prevalence and severity, and impairments as direct and indirect influences on physical function in this African American sample. This natural history of functional status model fits the data well for both men (ROC = .88) and women (ROC = .83), although there are gender differences. Slightly over one-half of the women report some difficulty in physical function, compared with one-third of the men. Women also have a higher mean body-mass and report a greater prevalence and severity in 6 of 9 chronic diseases and more pain, but are less likely to smoke or abuse alcohol than men. Importantly, many of the factors with the largest direct and indirect associations with difficulty in physical function among these African American men (alcohol abuse, smoking, body mass, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arthritis, and pain) and women (alcohol abuse, body mass, arthritis, and respiratory illness) are all potentially preventable or manageable.
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PMID:Physical function among retirement-aged African American men and women. 868 30

Inconsistencies within results of case-control studies on Alzheimer's disease risk factors led to a search of the literature for a potential cofactor. Reduced cerebral blood flow was selected and literature was surveyed for evidence of a cerebral blood flow linkage with the more than 40 putative risks. Alcohol abuse, depression, head trauma, underactivity, old age, sleep disturbance, glucose utilization, Down's syndrome, and Parkinson's disease are risk factors where an association with reduced cerebral blood flow is documented. Studies were cited showing that improved cerebral blood flow is associated with factors thought to be helpful in Alzheimer's disease, such as education or occupational attainment, exercise, headache, smoking, and arthritis/anti-inflammatory drugs to the extent that aspirin is used. Sugar consumption is identified as a potential risk factor with glucose management in Alzheimer's disease also shown to involve reduced cerebral blood flow. An hypothesis is developed showing how compromised regional cerebral blood flow could fit as a cofactor for genetic, autoimmune, and neurotoxic aspects of Alzheimer's disease.
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PMID:Alzheimer's disease risk factors as related to cerebral blood flow. 873 67

Capnocytophaga canimorsus, formerly designated Dysgonic fermenter 2 (DF-2) was first described in 1976; it is a commensal bacterium of dogs and cats saliva, which can be transmitted to man by bite (54% of cases), scratch (8.5%), or mere exposure to animals (27%). We present a review of the clinical and microbiological characteristics of the Capnocytophaga canimorsus infections and 12 cases of infection in France. Over 100 cases of human infections have been reported, mainly septicemia in patients with diminished defences, due to splenectomy (33%), alcohol abuse (24%), immunosuppression (5%). However 40% of septicemia occur in patients with no predisposing conditions. Other infections are less frequent: meningitis, endocarditis, arthritis, pleural and localized eye infections. These infections range from mild to fulminating disease, with shock, respiratory distress, disseminated intravascular coagulation. Dermatological lesions (macular or maculopapular rash, purpura) or gangrene are common. This fastidious Gram-negative bacterium grows slowly on chocolate agar or on heart infusion agar with 5% rabbit blood incubated in 5% CO2. In spite of a great susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics, the mortality is of 30%. Because of the severity of these infections, taking into account this organism in the management of bites is necessary, especially in patients with predisposing factors.
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PMID:Capnocytophaga canimorsus infections in human: review of the literature and cases report. 890 16

We report a case of arthritis due to Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata in two different joints at different times in the same patient. The first episode of arthritis was situated in the right ankle and lasted more than 1 year before the patient agreed to the proposed treatment. Therapy with intravenous amphotericin B and oral fluconazole failed. A cure was achieved with weekly intra-articular administration of amphotericin B, which was continued for more than 20 weeks and combined with oral itraconazole. Several weeks later the patient developed Candida glabrata arthritis of the left knee while still taking itraconazole. Immediately, intravenous amphotericin B therapy was started and was successful. Because there were no previous invasive point manipulations or trauma, the infections were considered to be haematogenously disseminated. Chronic corticosteroid and repeated antibiotic therapy for infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and alcohol abuse are the presumed risk factors in this otherwise immunocompetent patient.
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PMID:Candida glabrata arthritis: case report and review of the literature of Candida arthritis. 1052 56

Chronic pain is a widespread, difficult problem facing clinicians. This study assessed the current medical management of a general population of patients with chronic pain in 12 family medicine practices located throughout the state of Wisconsin. Medical record audits were conducted on a sample of 209 adults. Sixty-seven percent were female with an average age of 53 years. The most common pain diagnoses included lumbar/low back (44%), joint disease/arthritis (33%), and headache/migraine (28%) pain. The most frequently prescribed opioids were oxycodone/acetaminophen (31%), morphine ERT (19%), Tylenol #3 (15%), and hydrocodone/acetaminophen (14%). Depression/affective disorders were reported in 36% of the patient charts, anxiety/panic disorders (15%), drug abuse (6%), and alcohol abuse (3%). Written drug contracts were utilized by 42% (n = 31) of the practitioners, pain scales 25% (n = 29), and urine toxicology screens 8% (n = 6). This study suggests that primary care practitioners have unique opportunities to identify and successfully treat patients with chronic pain.
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PMID:Opioids and the treatment of chronic pain in a primary care sample. 1153 92

To determine whether the incidence and pattern of group A Streptococcal (GAS) infections in Thailand have paralleled those in the United States and Europe, we conducted a retrospective study of invasive GAS infections at Chulalongkorn University Hospital from 1995 to 1999. A total of 42 cases were identified. There were 18 males and 24 females (median age of 59 and 46 years, respectively). Most patients were in two age groups: 20-39 (33%) and 60-79 (38%). Underlying conditions were present in 34 patients (81%), including mostly chronic system diseases (50%), alcohol abuse (19%), diabetes mellitus (14%), connective tissue diseases (12%), immunosuppressive illnesses (12%), and human immunodeficiency virus infection (10%). The most common clinical presentations were skin and soft-tissue infections (31%), primary bacteremia (29%), and arthritis (14%). Of these, 24 (57%) presented with toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Overall mortality rate was 33 per cent. All GAS but one isolate were susceptible to penicillin.
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PMID:Invasive group A Streptococcal infections at Chulalongkorn University Hospital. 1185 3

Iron overload diseases are due to a progressive increase in total body iron stores that leads to deposition of iron in parenchymal organs and to subsequent damage to these organs. The commonest inherited form of iron overload is hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), an autosomal recessive disorder affecting the white population. Although in the western world and in northern Europe the majority of cases of HH are associated with an HFE gene mutation (C282Y and H63D), there are families with a familial iron overload disorder in whom neither the C282Y nor the H63D mutations were found. Recently, other forms of HH that are not related to HFE, but are due to mutations in genes coding iron transport proteins (ferroportin-1, TfR2, hepcidin) have been described. The clinical presentation of the disorder is highly variable, depending on the severity of iron overload. In fact, the inappropriate absorption and deposition of dietary iron may result in the development of hepatic and non-hepatic end-organ injury, leading to liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, diabetes, arthritis, skin pigmentation and cardiac diseases. HH and its sequelae are preventable with an early diagnosis and treatment. Patients with evidence of iron overload, a family history of HH or other risk factors should be screened by genotype testing for the HFE mutation. Nowadays, HH is recognized as being a complex genetic disease with probable significant environmental and genetic modifying factors, such as hepatitis C virus infection and alcohol abuse, and it has been shown that HFE mutations represent an independent risk factor for fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C.
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PMID:[Iron overload disease: recent findings]. 1552 41

It has long been recognized the epidemiological association of psoriasis, especially the most severe forms, with several diseases that share a common pathogenic substrate involving TNF-alpha and different target organs (arthritis and Crohn's disease, for example), as well as an increased risk of coronary heart disease and occlusive cardiovascular disease. In the patient with severe psoriasis there is also an increased prevalence of obesity, dyslipemia, adult diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse and tobacco habit which contribute to the increased risk of mortality associated with atherosclerosis. Recently it has been identified the so-called metabolic syndrome, characterized by the association of abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipemia, hypertension, insulin resistance with or without glucose intolerance and a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There is evidence that in rheumatoid arthritis as well as in psoriasis, chronic inflammation has a pathogenic role in the metabolic syndrome and associated comorbidities, and its adequate treatment may contribute to revert it. The dermatologist should recognize the elements of the metabolic syndrome and propose the patient with psoriasis, in addition to the optimal dermatologic treatment, changes in life habits and appropriate drug therapy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbi-mortality.
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PMID:[Psoriasis, a systemic disease?]. 1766 29


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