PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E S Mongan

Publications and source records attributed to E S Mongan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Small airways function in nonsmokers with rheumatoid arthritis.

To evaluate the possible relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and airways dysfunction independent of cigarette smoking, we studied 19 lifetime nonsmokers with RA and 47 healthy nonsmokers. Ten tests of small airways function were administered to the subjects. In addition, diffusing capacity and static lung compliance were measured, and upstream airway conductance at mid-to-low lung volumes was calculated. Mean values were not significantly lower in the RA group than in the control group in any of the tests of small airways function. Three of the 19 (16%) patients with RA versus 15 of the 47 (32%) control subjects had abnormal findings on greater than 2 tests of small airways function (P greater than 0.1). Although mean diffusing capacity and static lung compliance were both within normal limits in each group, the former tended to be lower, while the latter was significantly lower, in the RA subjects. We conclude that airways dysfunction in RA, if present, is probably related to factors other than the underlying disease; if an association between RA and small airways abnormality is present in some patients, its prevalence is too small to have been detected in our sample.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Reactivity of serum antibodies to the keratin layer of rat esophagus in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Serum antibodies reactive with the keratin layer of rat esophagus (AKA) were found in 46 of 80 (57.5%) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. In contrast, AKA were present in only 7 of 82 (9.5%) patients with other types of rheumatic disorders and in 2 of 47 (4.2%) healthy subjects. AKA were not specific for RA, however, because in the former group, AKA were present in 4 of 20 (20%) systemic sclerosis patients and in 3 of 12 (25%) ankylosing spondylitis patients. AKA belong predominantly to the IgG class and are complement fixing. Although found in some RA joint fluids, AKA were not selectively concentrated in the joint fluid. Absorption of RA serum with type I human collagen or with human epidermal keratin did not remove AKA activity. The frequency of AKA in RA patients both negative and positive for DR4 was equal. There was no relationship between the frequency of AKA and the occurrence of other serum autoantibodies such as antibodies to intermediate filaments, smooth muscle, and nuclear antigens. Serum antibody reactive with human stratum corneum found in patients with psoriatic arthritis was shown to be different from AKA. Rabbit antiserum to human keratin did not inhibit the reaction of AKA against the keratin layer of rat esophagus. Autoimmunity to structural proteins including collagen, vimentin intermediate filaments, smooth muscle antigens, and keratin is a characteristic feature of RA.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

IgG rheumatoid factors and anti-nuclear antibodies in rheumatoid vasculitis.

We studied the distribution and characteristics of circulating rheumatoid factors (RF) and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in 30 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had polyarthritis alone (group I), 28 RA patients with polyarthritis and extra-articular disease (group II), 28 RA patients with systemic vasculitis (group III) and 60 healthy matched controls. IgG RF occurred more frequently and in higher serum titres in group III (100%) than RA patients in group I (40%), or in group II (18%) or in normal controls (5.8%). The serum titre of IgM RF was higher in vasculitis patients than in other RA patients. ANA were found in 74% of all RA patients and although the frequency did not differ in the three patient groups, the serum titre was significantly higher in the vasculitis group. Antibodies to extractable nuclear antigen were found only in group III (18.7%). Antibodies to histones were also more prevalent in group III than in the other RA groups. The serological abnormalities in rheumatoid vasculitis differed quantitatively as well as qualitatively from other RA patients.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1979

Acute respiratory failure and pulmonary arteritis without parenchymal involvement: demonstration in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

A 28-year-old woman with a eight-year history of rheumatoid arthritis presented with a three-day history of dyspnea. Physical and electrocardiographic findings were consistent with pulmonary hypertension. Arterial blood gases revealed a ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Chest roentgenogram was normal. After transient improvement, she suddenly deteriorated and died. At autopsy, a necrotizing pulmonary panarteritis was found without parenchymal involvement by rheumatoid disease. The pulmonary arteries were the only vessels affected. Immunofluorescent staining revealed immunoproteins scattered throughout the vessel walls without localization to the basement membrane. The unique features of the case are discussed in relation to pulmonary hypertension and rheumatoid lung disease in which vascular lesions are usually associated with honeycomb lung. The association between the rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary vasculitis was probably coincidental.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1973

Anserina bursitis. A treatable cause of knee pain in patients with degenerative arthritis.

The anserina bursa is located on the medial surface of the tibia deep to the tendons of the sartorius, gracilis, and semimembranosus muscles and superficial to the insertion of the tibial collateral ligament. Knee pain, a palpable swelling of the bursa, and tenderness over the medial anterior aspect of the tibia just below the knee are the hallmarks of anserina bursitis. In a three-year period, 24 patients with anserina bursitis were seen in a rheumatology clinic. All but one were women, 18 were obese, and only four were under 50 years old. Knee x-ray studies showed degenerative arthritis in 20 of the 24 patients. In ten, varus knee deformities were present, while three had valgus deformities. Ultrasound or local steroid injections gave dramatic relief in all but one patient.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗