A Correlative Study in the Clinical and Pathological Aspects of Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

It has been thought the histological features of rheumatoid arthritis do not reliably indicate the degree of activity or prognosis of the disease and that they are not specific for that condition (Hemerman, 1963). Recently, however, Muirden and Mills (1971) found in rheumatoid joints submitted for synovectomy a direct correlation between the degree of lymphocytic infiltration and joind damage. Lymphocytes might play a helpful role in protection of the rheumatoid joint. Muirden (1970) has also reported a significant relationship between histological estimates of the extent of the iron deposits nd the grades of roentgenographic changes in biopsied joints. The present study directed to confirm and analyze the changes in the clinical and pathological aspects, with the cases synovectomized at Korea and Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Resuits Clinical and histological studies were made on 21 cases of “classical” and “definite” rheumatoid arthritis submitted to the Department of Orthopaedic, Korea General Horsital and the Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, during the period from 1966 to 1975, and results were as follows. 1 In age distribution, 16 cases (76.2%) were in the interval between 21 and 51 years old the mean age was 33.5 years old. The sex distribution showed approximately a three fold female predominance with 16 females (76.2%) to 5 male cases (23.8%). 2. The most common chief complaint recorded were morning stiffness and multiple joint pain. Other symptoms, in descending order of occurrence were tenderness, synovial swelling, flexion deformity, joint swelling and subcutaneous nodules. The interval from initial complaint to admission varied from 7 months to 15 years, with a mean interval of 5.9 years. 3. Serological studies for rheumatoid factor were done on 15 cases and eight (53.3%) were found to be positive while seven cases (46.7%) were negative. The positive cases had longer histories and were in older age groups than the negatives. 4. Histologic findings were characterized by proliferation of suface lining cells of synovium, infiltration of lymphocytes, proliferation and thickeness of the vessels, and synovial villi, deposition of fibrins and hemosiderins and infiltration of acute inflammtory celIs. Each of the characteristics studied was ratect on a scaled score ranging from 0 to 3 from 1 to 3. For each patient the scaled scores were totaled and the totals ranged between 6 and 18 with a mean score of 10.5 5. Roentgenographic findings were characterized by swelling of the soft tissues swelling of the joints,. narrowed space of the joint cavity, and destruction of bone. Each of the characteristics studied was rated. on a scaled score ranging from 0 to 3 or from 1 to 3. For each patient the scaled scores were totaled and the totals ranged between 3 and 11 with a mean score of 7.1. 6. There was no significant correlation between histologic findings such as synovial hyperplasia or infiltration of lymphocytes, and clinical findings such as age, duration of histories, presence of rheumatoid factor, roentgenographic findings or surgicaI findings.