Biomedical subjects

O Scherak

Publications and source records attributed to O Scherak.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Tomographic examinations of sacroiliac joints in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Tomography of the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) was performed in 72 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 50 controls. Twenty-seven rheumatoid patients (38%) showed typical sacroilitis with predominantly severe intraarticular ankylosis and subchondral erosions. Fourteen patients (19%) had a probable sacroilitis with mild erosions and intraarticular ankylosis and concomitant degenerative changes. Fifteen patients (21%) showed predominantly degenerative changes and 16 RA patients (22%) had no radiological manifestation of the SIJ. There was no relation between typical sacroilitis and age of patients, duration of disease, rheumatoid factor, Steinbrocker's stage and frequency of HLA B27.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[High dosage vitamin E therapy in patients with activated arthrosis].

The known antiphlogistic in vitro effect of vitamin E was tested in a double-blind randomized study in patients with osteoarthritis. Fifty-three in-patients with osteoarthritis of the hip (n = 34) or the knee (n = 19) were treated for 3 weeks with 400 mg vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherolacetate, V, n = 26) or 50 mg Diclofenac (D, n = 27) three times daily. A standardized therapeutic exercise program was performed; local therapy was not permitted. There were no significant differences in the efficacy of the two drugs, although one patient of the V-group refused further treatment after 8 days because of inefficacy. V reduced or abolished the pain at rest in 77% (D in 85%), the pain on pressure in 67% (D in 50%), and the pain on movement in 62% (D in 63%). Both treatments appeared to be equally effective in reducing the circumference of the knee joints (p = 0.001) and the walking time (p less than 0.001) and in increasing the joint mobility (p less than 0.002). Patients (n = 11) with a plasma-alpha-tocopherol increase higher than two standard deviations of the mean value at onset (greater than 25.2 mg/l) seemed to have a more pronounced reduction of pain (eight out of 11 patients) compared with four out of 11 patients with a moderate increase of vitamin E. Side effects occurred in two out of 26 patients with V (7.7%), and in 25.9% during D-treatment. One patient with D therefore stopped the therapy after 9 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[A non-steroidal antirheumatic agent (nabumetone): effectiveness and tolerance in short and long-term use].

Nabumetone, a new nonsteroidal antirheumatic drug (NSAD), is chemically a (6-methoxy-2-naphthyl) butan-2-on. This drug was investigated with regard to its effectiveness and tolerability in an open multicenter study of 3 weeks duration, involving 40 patients with osteo-arthrosis and 45 with rheumatoid arthritis. 11 patients with arthrosis of the hip and 8 suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were continuously treated 6-12 months. The evaluation showed a good result in 85% of the patients with osteo-arthrosis and in 80% of the rheumatoid patients therapy of 3 weeks. Side effects were comparable with those of other NSADs. The changes in laboratory findings were not clinically significant. During long-term therapy both good tolerability and persisting efficacy were evidenced.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Serum ferritin as an indicator for iron substitution in patients with chronic polyarthritis].

20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with oral iron for 6 months and hematological parameters including serum ferritin levels and iron absorption were studied. 13 patients (group 1) had iron deficiency as estimated by low serum ferritin concentration (less than or equal to 30 micrograms/l); the other 7 patients (group 2) revealed normal ferritin levels. After treatment with oral iron, patients of group 1 show a significant increase in serum ferritin, serum iron, hematocrit, erythrocytes, and hemoglobin, a significant decrease in transferrin, and diminished iron absorption. In contrast, in group 2 there was no change in the above-mentioned parameters. The evaluation of iron stores by serum ferritin levels is limited to patients with inactive rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with active disease show hyperferritinemia which no longer represents the iron stores. In this case patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and iron deficiency could reveal normal serum ferritin values.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Rheumatoid arthritis and B lymphocyte alloantigen HLA-DRw4.

Forty Caucasian patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis were tested for 7 HLA-DR alloantigens and 37 HLA-A, B, and C antigens and compared with 125 and 450 healthy controls, respectively. HLA-DRw4 was significantly (corrected p = 10(-3) increased in rheumatoid arthritis (55%) compared with controls (23%). There was no significant correlation between clinical, radiological or serological disease parameters and HLA-DRw4. The frequency of HLA-B8 was increased in the patient group; however, the corrected p value was not significant.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Collagenolytic enzymes of the skin in chronic polyarthritis - transformations during D-penicillamin therapy].

Collagenolytic enzymes, soluble and nonsoluble collagen were determined in skin specimens of 5 healthy volunteers, and 16 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 7 RA-patients being on D-penicillamine, 9 without basic therapy. The following results were obtained: Collagenolytic enzymes were elevated in patients with RA compared with age matched controls. After administration of D-penicillamine the enzyme activity was found lower than values obtained in controls. Acid soluble collagen and nonsoluble collagen was not found statistically different in the three groups. These findings strongly suggest an inhibitory effect of D-penicillamine on the elevated collagenase activity in RA patients. Similar results in corneal tissue were reported by Francois and coworkers who treated corneal ulcers with D-penicillamine.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Systemic lupus erythematosus and pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension is one of the complications in the pulmonary manifestation of SLE. Following a two year SLE history a patient developed pulmonary hypertension although his chest radiograph showed neither pulmonary changes nor signs of hypertension. In two other patients, interstitial fibrosis, pleurisy and pulmonary hypertension were the initial manifestations of SLE. They all complained of dyspnoea and respiratory chest pain. Lung function studies showed restrictive changes, reduced lung compliance and, by two patients, reduced diffusion capacity. Lung biopsy performed in one patient revealed interstitial fibrosis, focal lymphocyte infiltrations and intima proliferation of the arterioles. All three patients were treated with anticoagulants in addition to steroids and cytotoxic drugs. After a period of 8 to 42 months examinations were repeated and all three patients showed improved hypertension and less physical ailment. The radiographs from two patients even revealed an improvement of their pulmonary changes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Lung function disorders in Sjögren's syndrome].

Pulmonary function tests were performed in 15 patients with Sjögren's Syndrome (SS). All patients presented with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as with sicca syndrome. The mean values of residual volume, compliance and diffusion capacity were found to be abnormal. Vital capacity was abnormal in 40 percent of patients with SS, residual volume in 46 percent, compliance in 60 percent, and diffusion capacity in 66 percent respectively. The lung function was apparently affected more severely in SS than in rheumatoid arthritis. Thus in addition to the well known changes of lung function occuring in rheumatoid arthritis, progressing fibrosis might also contribute to a more extensive impairment of the lung function in SS. Although symptoms of chronic bronchitis and coughs were prevalent in our patients, obstruction was only observed in a comparatively small number.

Adult↗