Synovial fluid respiratory gases: a laboratory approach to synovium circulatory-metabolic imbalance in rheumatoid arthritis

ABSTRACT

To investigate the impact of circulatory insufficiency relative to synovial tissue metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and its differentiation from other causes of knee effusions and arthritis, 60 synovial fluid specimens from adult females with age ranging 18-72 years were studied. They were further subdivided into 20 patients with osteoarthritis [OA] [group-I], 25 patients with RA [group II] and 15 cases of traumatic knee effusion [group III] serving as controls. Synovial fluids were analyzed for partial pressure of oxygen [PO2], carbon dioxide [PCO2], hydrogen ion concentration [pH], glucose content, cell counts and mucin clot test. The obtained data were correlated with the severity of the clinical status. The results were presented and discussed