Does serum rheumatoid factor have an influence on the clinical picture of ankylosing spondylitis?

OBJECTIVE: To describe the influence of serum rheumatoid factor (RF) on the clinical and radiological picture of definite ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: In a retrospective chart review of 281 AS patients typed for RF, the clinical picture of RF positive patients (Group 1) was compared with RF negative patients (Group 2); mode of onset, disease duration, and treatment were recorded. All patients were examined to determine their clinical status; the blood cell count. HLA-B27, serum IgG, IgM, IgA, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were determined, and radiological studies of the entire spine, pelvis and affected peripheral joints were carried out. In patients from Group 1 the HLA-DR was also determined. RESULTS: Fifteen of 281 patients (8 men, 7 women) with AS were RF+ (1:64 to 1:1024) (5.3%) and 11 were HLA-B27+. Seven patients in Group 1 had spine involvement and chronic arthritis of the knees. Four out of these 7 were tested for DR, and none was positive; in 6, AS and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) coexisted, 2 were DR1 and 2 were DR4 (test not carried out in 2). In two others we found spinal involvement only, and one of them had both DR1 and DR4. The onset of AS was similar in both groups. Group 1 was characterized by a chronic disease of moderate intensity with chronic arthritis of the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.04, respectively), no valvulopathy (p = 0.04) and fewer uveitis sequelae (p = 0.007) than Group 2. The ESR (p = 0.01), IgG (p = 0.008) and IgM (p = 0.0001) were higher in Group 1 than in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of RF in AS is associated with a chronic disease of moderate intensity with chronic peripheral arthritis and fewer extra-articular manifestations. The presence of RF, not always associated with HLA-DR, seems to affect the course of AS and does not necessarily indicate an association with RA.

Measurement of clinical activity of systemic lupus erythematosus and laboratory abnormalities: a 12-month prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess flares in outpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using SLAM (systemic lupus activity measure) and to determine laboratory abnormalities as predictors of disease activity. METHODS: Fifty-three Mexican patients were assessed using SLAM scale. They were evaluated monthly for a total of at least 572 months. The SLAM scale was applied at each visit. Samples were drawn for complete blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, urinalysis, 24-h protein and creatinine clearance, anti-DNA, C3 and C4. An SLE flare was defined as the occurrence of new clinical manifestations or worsening compared to the previous month that usually required restarting or increasing prednisone or immunosuppressive drugs. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients had flares, mainly in minor organs. The incidence of flares was 0.69/patient/year of followup. Active nephritis and extrarenal manifestations correlated with high levels of dsDNA and low complement levels. We found an odds ratio (OR) = 3 (CI = 1.7-5.7) for flare in asymptomatic patients with high dsDNA and OR = 2 (CI = 1.3-4.5) for low C3 levels. CONCLUSION: Flares are frequent in patients with SLE and they occur independent of disease duration and the time the disease has been under control. Flares are apparently predictable and are related to serologic abnormalities.

Testicular function in active ankylosing spondylitis. Therapeutic response to human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Testicular function was studied in 22 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with serum measurements of hormone levels, seminal fluid analysis and testicular reserve test. Results were correlated with disease activity. The abnormal findings were elevated luteinizing hormone (LH), inversion of estradiol/testosterone ratio (E2:T) and diminished testicular reserve for testosterone (T) and slightly increased for estradiol (E2). Nine patients with severe active AS received biweekly 2,500 IU of human chorionic gonadotrophin injections with a resulting increase in E2 serum levels. When the values of E2 reached 40 pg/ml or higher, there was a decrease of the sedimentation rate (p less than 0.05) and a reversal to normal of the E2:T ratio. This was accompanied by an improvement in AS at the 10th week that lasted up to 9 weeks after discontinuation of treatment. Our findings suggest a possible role of sex hormones in the physiopathogenesis of AS and offers a possible therapeutic alternative.

[Functional abnormalities of complement in familial and sporadic ankylosing spondylitis]. / Anormalidades funcionales del complemento en la espondilitis anquilosante familiar y esporádica.

Levels of complement fractions of 12 patients with sporadic ankylosing Spondylitis and 6 patients with familial Ankylosing Spondylitis (N. Y. Criteria) were studied by an hemolytic and functional method (microhemolysis in plate. Cordis Lab. Miami, Fla. USA). Abnormal levels were found in 94% of them high levels of C1 and C2 (p 0.002), and C3 (p 0.05) C8 and C9 (p 0.001) deficiencies, mixed or isolated, correlated with the severity of the diseases. C9 deficiency belongs to familial Ankylosing Spondylitis. These functional deficiencies of serum complement can favor the colonization and persistence of germs, which could mediate in the genesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis.