72 research outputs found
A Sonographic (Us) Evaluation Of Ligaments Of Sacroiliac Joint In Healthy Subjects
No full textA Sonographic (Us) Evaluation Of Ligaments Of Sacroiliac Joint In Healthy Subject
Evidence for the prevention of enthesitis in HLA-B27/hβ2m transgenic rats treated with a monoclonal antibody against TNF-α
No full textTransgenic rats with high expression of HLA-B27 and human beta2-microglobulin (B27TR) develop a multisystem inflammatory disease resembling human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). Tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) has a crucial role in sustaining chronic inflammation in the gut and joints. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether TNFα blockade could prevent or reduce the inflammation of peripheral joints in B27TR. A first group of 9-week-old B27TR received anti-TNFα mAb or isotypic IgG2a,k up to the age of 18 weeks. An untreated group was monitored up to the age of 18 weeks and then randomly assigned to a 9-week treatment with anti-TNFα mAb or IgG2a,k. Each rat was monitored for clinical IBD and peripheral joint manifestations. After sacrifice the colon and hind paws were examined for macroscopical and microscopical pathological changes. Early TNFα blockade prevented, and late treatment improved IBD signs in B27TR. Erythema, edema, inflammatory infiltrate close to the tendons and enthesis, proliferating chondrocyte-like cells, signs of new endochondral bone ossification and bone erosion were observed in peripheral joints of 4/6 IgG2a,k-treated B27TR both at 18 and 27 weeks. Immunopositivity for phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 indicated that the process of joint remodelling was activated in B27TR. Some entheses showed chondroid nodules. Anti-TNFα treatment reduced inflammation and preserved the enthesis organization in most animals. Occasional and transient erythema and edema were still present in 3/6 of the late anti-TNFα-treated animals. Smad1/5/8 signalling was not inhibited by late anti-TNFα treatment. In B27TR, articular involvement follows IBD onset and develops at entheses. Early TNFα blockade prevents the onset of IBD and consequently the development of enthesitis in peripheral joints in the B27TR model of human SpA
Longitudinal ultrasound and clinical follow-up of Baker's cysts injection with steroids in knee osteoarthritis
No full textEvidence of immune activation against oxidized lipoproteins in inactive phases of juvenile chronic arthritis
No full textObjective, Oxidative stress contributes to joint inflammation and damage in rheumatoid arthritis. In a mobile inflamed joint, exercise induced multiple cycles of hypoxia-reperfusion injury may lead to the creation of a redox environment in which oxido-reductase systems, by NADPH mechanisms, produce highly reactive chemical species (i.e., oxygen free radicals). We investigated 2 endproducts of lipid peroxidation, malonildialdehyde (MDA) and diene conjugates (DC), and the formation of antibodies against oxidized low density lipoproteins (Ab oxLDL) in juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), and assessed the role of oxidative phenomena in different phases and subsets of this disease. Methods, To assess the role of oxidative stress in JCA, we measured the endproducts of lipid peroxidation. MDA and DC: by the increase of absorbance at 586 nm and 234 nm, respectively, and the levels of Ab oxLDL by ELISA in the sera of 58 patients with JCA and 21 healthy controls. Due to crossreactivity between Ab oxLDL and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), the sera were also tested by a standard ELISA for IgG-aCL. The patients were divided into 3 subsets: 29 with pauciarticular (pauci), 15 with polyarticular (poly), and 14 with systemic (sys) onset disease, and then were subdivided, according to different variables appropriate to each subset, reflecting active and inactive disease, into 30 active (14 pauci, 8 poly, 8 sys) and 28 inactive(15 pauci, 7 poly, 6 sys). Results. Levels of Ab oxLDL were significantly increased in the whole group of patients (566.6 +/- 263.0 vs 206.6 +/- 136.3 mU/ml; p < 0.001) and in each of the type of onset (pauci 660.8 272.1, p < 0.001; poly 341.3 134.7, p < 0.01; sys 497.8 114.8, p < 0.001) compared to controls. Ab oxLDL were higher in the inactive than in the active group (743.5 231.9 and 404.4 +/- 169.9; p < 0.001). MDA and DC levels were not increased significantly in patients' sera. No patient was positive for IgG-aCL. Conclusion. These findings suggest that MDA and DC cannot be considered major markers of oxidative stress in JCA and that the Ab oxLDL may represent a delayed sign of oxidative stress previously induced by the inflammatory process in patients with JCA
Topical application of nerve growth factor in human diabetic foot ulcers. A study of three cases.
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NGF, a useful tool in the treatment of chronic vasculitic ulcers in rheumatoid arthritis.
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