[Cryoglobulins in rheumatoid arthritis: exhaustive detection, immunochemical findings and clinical expression]. / Crioglobulinas en artritis reumatoide: detección exhaustiva, hallazgos inmunoquímicos y expresion clínica.

Cryoglobulins were measured in 29 patients (24 female, age 53.8 +/- 9.8 years) with rheumatoid arthritis (70% active). The cryoprecipitate was isolated, characterized and quantified. Cryoglobulinemia, always polyclonal or type III, was found in 83% of patients. The most frequent immunochemical isotypes found were IgG and A. Acrocyanosis was found in 50% and Raynaud phenomenon in 32% of patients with cryoglobulinemia. It is concluded that exhaustive detection of cryoglobulinemia in rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated a higher frequency than previously reported an is important for understanding pathogenesis of the disease.

[Adult non-insulin-dependent diabetic: limitation of articular mobility and soft tissue involvement]. / Diabético adulto no insulinodependiente: limitación de la movilidad articular y compromiso de partes blandas.

Periarticular involvement and joint mobility were investigated in 100 non insulin dependent diabetic patients, compared to 100 healthy control subjects of similar age and sex. Periarticular involvement was much more common in diabetics (p < 0.01) including limitation of joint mobility (hands) (40% vs 9%), Dupuytren (29% vs 2%), palmar synovitis (59% vs 7%) and capsulitis (16% vs 1%). Diabetic patients with limitation of joint mobility had more neuropathy (80% vs 56%), retinitis proliferans (35% vs 17%) and alterations of the skin of the hands, compared to diabetics without limitation of joint mobility. Diabetes should be investigated in subjects with periarticular manifestations such as those described in this paper. Also, a more advanced stage of diabetes may be suspected in diabetics with such manifestations.

Oxigeno: alteraciones en su transporte y utilizacion. / Oxigen: changes in its transport and utilization

Se revisan los principales mecanismos de alteracion del transporte y utilizacion de oxigeno en el hombre, incluyendo desde alteraciones del aire atmosferico hasta lesiones intracelulares. Se mencionan efectos frecuentes y caracteristicos de enfermedades y causas que provocan hipoxemia, hipoxia y dano celular. Tambien son analizados algunos efectos toxicos de oxigeno