Soluble FAS in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

The soluble fas [sfas] was measured by enzyme immunoassay in the serum and synovial fluid of 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 18 patients with osteoarthritis and their correlation with the disease activity were studied Another 15 well cross matched healthy volunteers were chosen as a control group. All patients were subjected to clinical assessment and laboratory investigatioas. The results showed no differences in the serum level of sfas between RA and OA patients and the controls., while there was a significant increase in the level of synovial fluid sfas in patients with RA as compared to OA. The level of synovial fluid sfas in RA patients correlated significantly with the duration of morning stiffness, pain score, Ritchie articular index, ESR and HB concentration while there was no correlation between serum sfas and any clinical or laboratory parametcrs of the discase activity. From the previous results we conclude that sfas level is elevated in synovial fluid of RA patients and this level correlate significantly with the disease activity parameters and the presence of elevated level of sfas in the Joint cavity may inhibit apoptosis and exacerbate the inflammatory process and this may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of proliferating synovium in RA

Circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule -1 [CVCAM -1] in rheumatoid arthritis

Circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [cVCAM-1] was measured in serum and synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients and their correlation with disease activity was determined. This study was conducted on 25 rheumatoid arthritis patients Another 15 healthy persons, matched for age and sex were chosen as a control group. All patients were subjected to clinical assessment, routine laboratory investigations and measurement of serum and synovial fluid cVCAM-1 using the ELISA technique. Results showed significant increase in the serum level of cVCAM-l in RA patients compared with normal controls. In RA patients synovial fluid cVCAM-1 was significantly elevated as compared with its serum level Serum and synovial fluid cVCAM levels. Correlated significantly with parameters of disease activity morning stiffness, pain score, articular index, ESR and CRP. From the previous results we could con-dude that cVCAM-1 may have a pathogenic role in inflammation of RA, so, the measurement of cVCAM-1 could be recommended as a parameter of activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Synovial fluid interleukin-1 beta in psoriatic arthritis

Synovial fluid from the knee joints of 20 psoriatic arthritis patients [8 with polyarthritis and 12 with mono / oligoarthritis] were studied to detect the value of interleukcin-1 beta. ESR and serum C-reactive protein were also measured. Quantitative immunoassay method showed a significant increase of interleukin-1 beta in the synovial fluid of polyarthritis group as compared to mono/oligoarthritis group, while, ESR, C-reactive protein and synovial fluid total protein, acid phosphatase and WBCs showed non significant changes between the two groups. So, the synovial fluid interleukcin-1 beta is one of the parameters which differentiate between the two groups. Synovial fluid interleukin-1 beta showed significant correlation with the number of affected Joints and Joint score and non-significant correlation with ESR and C-reactive protein. Results confirm the role of interleukin-1 beta in the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis as well as to select those who will be in need for aggressive and non conventional treatment

Comparative assessment of inflammation in the knee joint of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

In this study the thermographic index [TI] of the knee joint was compared with the other parameters of joint inflammation of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis [JRA]. Twenty patients with JRA were included in the study [70% females and 30% males]. The mean age of our patients was 9.9 + 2.5 years. Ten healthy children matching our cases as regard :sex, age and weight served as a control group. All the patients were subjected to clinical assessment [oint score], laboratory investigations [ESR, CRP. HB%], synovial fluid analysis [TLC and glucose] and TI measurement. A significant correlation was observed between the joint score, ESR, HB% and TLC of the synovial fluid. Insignificant correlations were reported between the joint score and CRP, and between the TLC, CRP and HB%. The glucose level in the synovial fluid insignificantly correlated with all the other clinical and laboratory variables. The TI was found to be significantly correlated with the joint score, ESR, HB% and TLC of the synovial fluid while, it was found to be insignificantly correlated with the CRP and the glucose level of the synovial fluid. It is concluded that the TI is a good index for the assessment of joint activity in JRA with an equivalent efficacy to the other clinical and laboratory parameters of joint inflammation

Comparative study between clinical assessment, laboratory markers, synovial fluid analysis and thermography in joint inflammation of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

In this study the thermographic index [TI] of the knee joint was compared with the other parameters of joint inflammation of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis [JRA]. Twenty patients with JRA were included in the study [70% females and 30% males]. The mean age of our patients was 9.9 +/- 2.5 years. Ten healthy children matching our cases as regard; sex, age and weight served as a control group. All the patients were subjected to clinical assessment [joint score], laboratory investigations [ESR, CRF, HB%], synovial fluid analysis [TLC and glucose] and TI measurement. A significant correlation was observed between the joint score, ESR, HB% and TLC of the synovial fluid Insignificant correlations were reported between the joint score and CRP and between the TLC, CRP and HB%. The glucose level in the synovial fluid insignificantly correlated with all the other clinical and laboratory variables. The TI was found to be significantly correlated with the joint score, ESR, HB% and TLC of the synovial fluid while, it was found to be insignificantly correlated with the CRP and the glucose level of the synovial fluid. It is concluded that the TI is a good index for the assessment of joint activity in JRA with an equivalent efficacy to the other clinical and laboratory parameters of joint inflammation