Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0003873 (rheumatoid arthritis)
 53,068 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

C-reactive protein (CRP)-mediated complement activation can be tested on cryostat sections of the rat kidney by indirect immunofluorescence (C3-IFT). In contrast to a positive C3-IFT regularly obtained with sera of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, we found unexpectedly negative C3-IFT results in 5/18 patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and in 11/14 patients with bacterial endocarditis in spite of elevated CRP and normal hemolytic complement in these sera. Differential diagnostic and pathophysiological aspects of these findings are addressed.
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PMID:[Complement activation by C-reactive protein in various inflammatory diseases (in vitro)]. 156 53

An enzyme-linked immunoassay detecting soluble CD8 (s-CD8) was applied to study activation of CD8(+)-(suppressor/cytotoxic) T-cells in patients with rheumatic diseases. Compared with normals, s-CD8 levels were elevated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polymyositis. In contrast, low s-CD8 values were observed in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis/scleroderma. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), s-CD8 values were correlated with C-reactive protein. This finding and an association with other parameters of clinical activity were confirmed by longitudinal studies. In summary, our findings support the view that implication of CD8(+)-T-cell activation is different in the pathogenesis of each rheumatic disease. Elevated s-CD8 indicates active disease, and can be used to monitor CD8(+)-T-cell activation in SLE while determination of s-CD8 seems to be of little clinical value in the other rheumatic diseases studied.
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PMID:[Circulating CD8 as an indicator of inflammatory rheumatic disease]. 156 57

In a randomized, prospective study the efficacy and tolerability of extensive multiple intra-articular administrations of two antibiotics, rifamycin SV and pefloxacin, were evaluated in 40 patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis. Total weekly doses of 525 mg rifamycin or 560 mg pefloxacin were given for 10 weeks, and 12 months after treatment all clinical indices, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein improved significantly in the rifamycin group. Some of the treatment indices (morning stiffness, severity of pain by visual analogue scale, grip strength and Ritchie's index) were already improved when the treatment ended, whereas others (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, number of painful and swollen joints) improved progressively during the follow-up. In the pefloxacin treatment group all indices except C-reactive protein and severity of pain determined using a visual analogue scale were significantly improved 12 months after treatment. Comparison of the two treatments showed a significant difference in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P less than 0.047), Ritchie's index (P less than 0.036) and C-reactive protein (P less than 0.028) in favour of rifamycin.
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PMID:Multiple intra-articular treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized prospective study comparing rifamycin SV with pefloxacin. 156 18

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for human interleukin-8 (IL-8) was developed using isotopically labeled homogenous natural protein. The detection limit (20% inhibition of 125I-IL-8 binding) was 30 pg/100 microliters; 50% displacement occurred at 140 pg/100 microliters. There was no cross-reactivity with the structurally and functionally related neutrophil-activating peptides 2 and 3 up to 500 ng/100 microliters. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 4 and 7%, respectively. In vitro experiments showed that human fibroblasts triggered by interleukin-1, double-stranded RNA or virus release immunoreactive and biologically active IL-8 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Monocytes produce immunoreactive IL-8 in the 100 ng/ml range when exposed to plant mitogen, bacterial endotoxin, virus or IL-1. Although the radioimmunoassay was more sensitive than the chemotaxis assay (detection limit 0.6 ng/ml versus 10 ng/ml) a correlation between concentrations of immunoreactive IL-8 and neutrophil chemotactic activity in the supernatants from stimulated monocytes and fibroblasts was observed. In synovial fluids from patients with inflammatory joint disease, IL-8 was clearly demonstrable, but there was no correlation between IL-8 levels and general parameters of disease activity (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum levels of C-reactive protein). Synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, seropositive for rheumatoid factor, contained significantly higher concentrations of IL-8 than synovial fluids from seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients and patients with non-rheumatoid arthritis joint inflammation. There was a highly significant correlation between IL-8 levels and serum titers of rheumatoid factor. These findings suggest that the molecular mechanisms underlying joint inflammation may be distinct in different types of arthritis.
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PMID:Development and application of a radioimmunoassay for interleukin-8: detection of interleukin-8 in synovial fluids from patients with inflammatory joint disease. 158 90

A 12-week, double-blind controlled study comparing low dose alpha-interferon (5 x 10(5) iu, twice a week) and placebo was carried out to determine whether this drug has an immunomodulatory effect in rheumatoid arthritis. There were statistically significant improvements in the patients' joint score, C-reactive protein value and platelet count, without any side effects. Interferon-alpha caused an increase of serum calcium and a decrease of alkaline phosphatase. Thus, alpha-interferon requires further investigation as a possible additional useful treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
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PMID:A preliminary study on the effect of alpha-interferon treatment on the joint inflammation and serum calcium in rheumatoid arthritis. 159 3

Efforts continue to identify and consistently utilize those clinical, laboratory, imaging, and other features of rheumatoid arthritis that best reflect the disease process and its impact on individual patients. We seek descriptions that are accurate, reproducible, simple, sensitive, and predictive. Such assessments will lead to development of prognoses for individual patients and to more rational patient management. The past year has witnessed reemphasis of health status indexes (instruments) and other simple approaches to clinical assessment of patients, eg, use of standardized grip strength, button test, walk time, and modified articular indexes. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging provided clinically important and otherwise unappreciated (but expensive) information about joint integrity and inflammatory disease with sensitivity and resolution considerably beyond conventional techniques. Laboratory assessment of patients included consideration or reconsideration of the utility of measurements of C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factors, immune complexes, complement receptors and complement activation products, antiperinuclear factors, trace elements, interleukins and interleukin receptors, soluble cell surface receptors, lymphoid cell phenotypes, and synovial immunohistology; all are important in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and all have contributed variably to predicting patient outcomes. None were shown to be more clinically informative than erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein. The variables that have been associated with unfavorable prognosis for rheumatoid arthritis are also discussed. We hope that continued study will lead to identification and adoption of simple assessments that will prove to be powerful predictors of good or poor patient outcomes and stratification of patient risk. This uniform measure of disease assessment will improve judgments of potential benefits of therapeutic interventions.
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PMID:Assessment and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis. 159 16

To investigate the clinical significance of membrane-associated phospholipase A2 (M-PLA2) measured by a radioimmunoassay(RIA) in rheumatoid arthritis, we examined serum M-PLA2 concentrations in 16 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. All showed elevated levels of serum M-PLA2. On the other hand, serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 were increased in 13 (81.3%) and 14 (87.5%) of 16 patients, respectively. The serum concentrations of M-PLA2 were significantly correlated with those of CRP. These results indicate that M-PLA2 is an acute phase reactant and a sensitive and useful marker of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.
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PMID:Membrane-associated phospholipase A2 detected by a radioimmunoassay is a sensitive marker of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. 163 52

Fasting is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but most patients relapse on reintroduction of food. The effect of fasting followed by one year of a vegetarian diet was assessed in a randomised, single-blind controlled trial. 27 patients were allocated to a four-week stay at a health farm. After an initial 7-10 day subtotal fast, they were put on an individually adjusted gluten-free vegan diet for 3.5 months. The food was then gradually changed to a lactovegetarian diet for the remainder of the study. A control group of 26 patients stayed for four weeks at a convalescent home, but ate an ordinary diet throughout the whole study period. After four weeks at the health farm the diet group showed a significant improvement in number of tender joints, Ritchie's articular index, number of swollen joints, pain score, duration of morning stiffness, grip strength, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and a health assessment questionnaire score. In the control group, only pain score improved score. In the control group, only pain score improved significantly. The benefits in the diet group were still present after one year, and evaluation of the whole course showed significant advantages for the diet group in all measured indices. This dietary regimen seems to be a useful supplement to conventional medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
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PMID:Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. 168 18

We studied the relationship between CD5+ B cells and the activity of the disease process in patients with autoimmune diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), levels of CD5+ B cells were associated with autoantibody production as determined by serum rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies. In addition, CD5+ B cells were significantly correlated with C-reactive protein, and data from longitudinal studies showed a marked influence of corticosteroid treatment on numbers of CD5+ B cells. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had slightly elevated levels of CD5+ B cells as compared with normals, but a close association with measures of an active disease was not observed. In a group of patients with type I diabetes mellitus, CD5+ B cells were detected in patients with anti-islet cell antibodies. Our results suggest that CD5+ B cells are related to the activity of the autoimmune process and can be modulated by therapy in patients with RA. Although CD5+ B cells do not seem to have a major role in SLE, polyclonal activation might affect this B cell subset as well in this disease. Further studies are needed to define the precise role of CD5+ B cells in organ-specific autoimmunity.
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PMID:Relationship between CD5+ B lymphocytes and the activity of systemic autoimmunity. 169 88

Metal-binding proteins (ceruloplasmin, transferrin, ferritin, and lactoferrin), proteinase inhibitors (alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitors), and albumin were assayed in synovial fluid obtained from 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 15 with osteoarthritis (OA). The levels of proteinase inhibitors and metal-binding proteins, except transferrin, were significantly increased in synovial fluid from RA patients as compared with synovial fluid from OA patients. Metal-binding proteins significantly correlated with rheumatoid factor and immune complexes in synovial fluid from RA patients. Proteinase inhibitor levels also significantly correlated with C-reactive protein, and complement components. These results suggest that the raised level of metal-binding proteins and proteinase inhibitors in synovial fluid from RA patients reflect inflammatory activity, and hence may play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory joint diseases.
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PMID:Correlation of metal-binding proteins and proteinase inhibitors with immunological parameters in rheumatoid synovial fluids. 170 87


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