Sex hormones in relation to bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in rheumatoid patients

To study the changes in serum and salivary testosterone in rheumatoid arthritis [RA] patients and their implication on bone mineral density [BMD] and bone turnover markers. The above mentioned hormonal levels were measured in fifty post-menopausal RA women [thirty patients with glucocorticoid therapy and twenty treated with other drugs]. Bone turnover markers were also assessed namely Carboxy terminal cross linked telopeptide of type I collagen [ICTP] and carboxy terminal propeptide of type I procollagen [PICP] as well as their relation to BMD was assessed. Although serum and salivary testosterone were higher than controls, there was no significant difference between patients and controls. We observed significantly lower salivary testosterone level in RA on steroids as compared to those not taking steroids. Also salivary testosterone correlated with lumbar BMD and inversely with ICTP

Prevalence of staphylococci in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Recent studies suggested that staphylococcal exotoxin may be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral staphylococcal carriage in patients with RA compared with healthy controls. This study was performed on 27 patients with RA and 25 healthy volunteers. Clinical and laboratory data of RA activity were studied. Tongue and anterior nasal swabs were obtained for culture on blood agar. Isolates of staphylococci were identified and collected from oral cavity of 96.3% of RA patients, 53.8% of whom carried staphy. aureus. On the other hand 88% of the healthy volunteers showed staphylococci, 36.4% of whom carried staph aureus. The carriage rate of staph aureus was significantly higher in RA patients than in healthy controls [P<0.05]. So we conclude that the oral carriage of staph. aureus was common in patients with RA. This may be the source of septic arthritis in such patients