[Hydrodynamic parameters of native C-reactive protein molecule in a solution]. / Gidrodinamicheskie parametry molekuly nativnogo C-reaktivnogo belka v rastvore.

The hydrodynamic properties of the C-reactive protein in solution (pH 6.8) were studied using quasi-elastic light scattering and size-exclusion liquid chromatography. It was shown that the solution containing the C-reactive protein represents a polydisperse system. The values of the translation diffusion coefficient and the apparent molecular weight of the C-reactive protein in solution at pH 6.8 were determined. The values of the translation diffusion coefficient, molecular weight and the hydration radius obtained suggest that the native pentameric C-reactive protein is the major form of the protein in solution at pH 6.8.

[Clinical variants of joint hypermobility syndrome in respect to age]. / Klinicheskie varianty proiavleniia sindroma gipermobil'nosti sustavov v vozrastnom aspekte.

Joint hypermotility syndrome (JHMS) was studied in 304 patients (255 women, 49 men, age 16-50 years) divided by age into four groups (16-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50). It was found that the incidence rate of such symptoms as polyarthralgia, recurrent exudates and incomplete joint dislocations with age lowers while that of dorsalgia, oligoarthralgia, soft tissue rheumatic syndromes, fibromyalgia rises. A monosymptom variant was characteristic for patients of the age 16-20 years. It manifested with one of the above symptoms (polyarthralgia, dorsalgia, recurrent exudates and incomplete joint dislocations). A syndrome variant, manifesting with combination of several clinical symptoms, was typical for patients over 30. This reflects systemic involvement of connective-tissue structures in the pathological process in JHMS and accumulation of degenerative alterations in the locomotor system with age.

[Prevalence of joint hypermobility among an adult population in Moscow]. / Rasprostranennost' gipermobil'nosti sustavov sredi vzroslogo naseleniia Moskvy.

AIM: To elucidate joint hypermotility (JHM) among adult population of Moscow by age and sex. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Health survey covered 572 examinees (266 females and 306 males) in four age groups (16-20, 21-30, 31-40 and 41-50 years). JHM was assessed by Baton's scale. RESULTS: Prevalence of JHM in Moscow was similar to that in Europe. JHM occurred more frequently at young age and in women. The score 4-6 by Baton in Russian population (50% of 16-30-year-old women and 58% of 16-20-year-old males) is a variant of normal standard.

[The comparative effectiveness of serological and microbiological studies in the etiological diagnosis of reactive arthritis]. / Sravnitel'naia éffektivnost' serologicheskikh i mikrobiologicheskikh issledovanii v étiologicheskoi diagnostike reaktivnogo artrita.

The information content of serological and microbiological studies was studied and compared in 72 patients suffering from enterogenous reactive arthritis. A high level of antibodies to intestinal Yersinia was detected in 11.1% of the patients, positive coproculture in 8.3%. Only one patient demonstrated at a time a high level of antibodies and isolation of intestinal Yersinia coproculture. The causative agent could usually be isolated in patients with the symptoms of enterocolitis. It is assumed that among patients suffering from reactive arthritis there are at least two different groups: with positive coproculture and a low level of antibodies and with a high level of antibodies and negative coproculture. The indicated conditions can be regarded as different phases of the disease in the same patients and reflect the pathogenetic heterogeneity of the patients' group with reactive arthritis. Serological and microbiological tests are viewed as equivalent in etiological diagnosis of reactive arthritis. Emphasis is laid on the fact that microbiological tests are more successful in patients with the symptoms of concomitant enterocolitis.

[Immune disorders and sensitization to microbial antigens in seronegative spondylitis]. / Immunnye narusheniia i sensibilizatsiia k mikrobnym antigenam pri seronegativnykh spondyloartritakh.

A study was made of immunity in seronegative spondylarthritis. In ankylosing spondylarthritis, reactive arthritides and psoriatic arthritis, the decrease of T cells, T helpers and T suppressors was identified. Patients with ankylosing spondylarthritis and reactive arthritides manifested an increase of the B-lymphocyte count. Patients with ankylosing spondylarthritis were demonstrated to be sensitive to Klebsiella (52%), those with reactive arthritides to intestinal yersinia (44%). The phenotype of antigen-binding cells was examined. Of these, 39% appeared to be T lymphocytes, 29% B lymphocytes. The presence of Fc receptors in an appreciable portion of those cells suggests their functional maturity. The inhibition test demonstrated the participation of HLA-B27 in reception of Klebsiella antigens in ankylosing spondylarthritis.

[Determination of lymphocyte receptors to Klebsiella in ankylosing spondylitis]. / Opredelenie limfotsitarnykh retseptorov k klebsielle pri ankiloziruiushchem spondiloartrite.

The authors give the results of determining receptors to Klebsiella antigens on the surface of the peripheral blood lymphocytes in ankylosing spondyloarthritis (AS). They examined 21 patients with AS, 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 20 healthy individuals. Determination of the receptors was done in the reaction of indirect rosette formation. An ultrasonic disintegrate of Klebsiella culture isolated from a patient with AS was used as an antigen. Favourable results were obtained in 10 patients with AS and in none of the cases in the group of patients with RA and in healthy individuals. A higher specificity of the reaction of antigen binding lymphocytes was shown.

[Circulation of intestinal infection in the families of patients with rheumatic diseases and the state of humoral immunity to enterobacterial antigens]. / Tsirkuliatsiia kishechnoi infektsii v sem'iakh bol'nykh revmaticheskimi zabolevaniiami i sostoianie gumoral'nogo immuniteta k antigenam bakterii kishechnoi gruppy.

ELISA quantitation of antibodies to Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, and Yersinia enterocolitica was conducted in 75 ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) probands and in 262 of their first-degree relatives. The control group comprised 28 healthy donors. Sixteen (64 per cent) AS probands (12 with B27+) and 26 (30.2 per cent) their relatives (14 with B27+) were found to have high titres of antibodies to Klebsiella pneumonia. In 18 (60 per cent) active RA probands and 27 (23.7 per cent) relatives, antibodies to Proteus mirabilis were found. The obtained results suggest the presence of genetic determinants of the increased immune response to various infectious agents, at least in the AS cases. The possibility of Enterobacteriaceae acting as polyclonal stimulators is not excluded.

[The state of humoral immunity to enterobacterial antigens in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and reactive arthritis in children]. / Sostoianie gumoral'nogo immuniteta k bakterial'nym antigenam kishechnoi gruppy pri iuvenil'nom revmatoidnom artrite i reaktivnykh artritakh u detei.

Investigation findings are generalized based on quantitation of antibodies against the antigens of intestinal microorganisms of Enterobacteriaceae family conducted in 66 children with various joint disease using the enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) methodology. High antibody titres were revealed in 77.1% juvenile rheumatoid arthritis cases and in 80% cases with chronic juvenile arthritis which was not defined nosologically. All the patients with reactive arthritis associated with intestinal infection showed high tension of immunity to all tested enterobacteriaceae antigens with cross reactions to them. Patients with reactive arthritis associated with oral infection, with Reiter's disease and other disorders exhibited high antibody titres at the same rate as in the control.