The clinical significance of the histomorphological evaluation of synovial tissue from 389 patients with joint diseases was studied. From these data we conclude: (1) the histomorphological diagnosis in joint diseases is rarely of decisive value (6.2%); (2) in 23.1% of cases the histomorphological diagnosis is judged to be of clinical assistance; (3) the histomorphological grading of the inflammatory reaction in the joint under study corresponds in approximately two out of three cases to the clinical judgement.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution of mast cells in human synovial tissue of patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Mast cells are demonstrated in synovial membranes of patients with osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis using a new staining principle based on interaction of heparin in mast cell granules with peroxidase labeled avidin. It was found that mast cell numbers in the subsynovial layer of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were significantly lower than those in patients suffering from osteo-arthritis. This decrease can be mainly attributed to patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose synovitis was characterized by a distinct histomorphological pattern consisting of lining cell ulcers and granulation tissue. However, when mast cell numbers in rheumatoid arthritis and osteo-arthritis patients were compared without respect to mast cell distribution in the subsynovial layer or the stratum fibrosum, no statistical differences between the diseases could be observed.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗