The direction of penetration of the destroyed femoral head into the acetabulum in rheumatoid coxitis has been determined by means of the method of geometrical analysis in 81 affected hip joints. Of 48 patients, the duration of coxitis was 1-17 years (mean 4 years). Displacement of the femur head, destroyed by rheumatoid inflammation, was expressed in millimeters by means of a geometrical parameter called "transposition of the center of the femur head". The direction of transposition of the femur head into the deepened acetabulum has been expressed quantitatively by authors making use of the new geometrical parameter "the angle of transposition of the center of the femur head" which is referred to as angle delta. The angle delta is an angle between the line of transposition of the femur head center (tC) and its vertical component. The mean value of the delta angle for the entire group investigated measured 27.6 degrees and ranged from -5 degrees to +54 degrees, whereby an angle of 0 degrees marked the cranial direction of transposition, positive values marked the craniomedial transposition direction of the femur head. The angle delta varied from 21 degrees to 40 degrees in the majority of affected hip joints. The values of the delta angle were constant in every hip joint, thus indicating that the direction of transposition of the femur head did not change in the course of the progression of rheumatoid coxitis. It was found and statistically confirmed that no reciprocal dependence existed between the rate of progression of coxitis and the direction of displacement of the femur head into the acetabulum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetabulum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Some aspects of rehabilitation of chronic rheumatic patients].

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Chronic Disease↗

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[Pustular arthro-osteitis. A new entity among rheumatic diseases?].

A patient is shown with symptoms of the anterior thoracic wall syndrome and pustulous changes on the palms an soles. In the clinical picture, a painful swelling of the medial third of the right clavicle dominated, while the general state of the patient was good. Laboratory findings showed positive tests of inflammatory activity, while the rheumatoid factors and the HLA B 27 antigen were negative. Radiologically wide-spread destructive changes of the medial part of the right clavicle were found, with signs of periostosis in the active phase of the disease and osteosclerosis in remission. The symptoms of the anterior thoracic wall have often relapsed, while the plamo-plantar pustulosis was present only at the onset of the disease. The function of locomotor system remained undamaged even after eight years of the disease duration. The disease was, after its clinical, laboratory and radiological aspect, different from all up to now known rheumatic diseases as well as from other diseases with symptoms on the locomotor system. It fits into the syndrome which was described by japanese authors under the name of "pustulous arthroosteitis".

Adult↗

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The photometric latex test for rheumatoid factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. II. Clinical evaluation.

The photometric latex test (PLT) for the detection of rheumatoid factors has been clinically evaluated. PLT titers have been closely studied in relation to clinical and laboratory parameters by means of parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. An analysis of the sensitized sheep cell test (SSC) titers has also been undertaken. The subjects comprised 377 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 120 controls. The medical data recorded included sex, age, diagnosis, anatomical stage, functional class, duration and course of the disease, presence of the American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria, blood sedimentation rate, red and white blood counts, haemoglobin concentration, total protein content, serum protein levels, and SSC and PLT titers. A multivariate stepwise regression analysis with eight normally distributed variables was made. In accordance with previous findings, a significant correlation was shown to exist between the serum protein levels and the development of the RA when the anatomical stage, functional class and course of the disease were used as parameters of disease activity. In the RA patients there was also correlation between the serologic titers and the serum protein levels, and the anatomical stage, functional class and course of the disease, and the sedimentation rate, thus showing that titers can also serve as a measure of the inflammatory process. There was a significant correlation between the number of ARA criteria and the titers in the RA patients but not in the controls. The course of the disease correlated with the serum titers and other inflammatory parameters, a finding showing that the course of the disease is an important diagnostic parameter with possible prognostic value. Correlation was also demonstrated between the white blood count and the titers. It is concluded that the sedimentation rate, albumin and gamma-globulin levels, and PLT titer are the best parameters of disease activity. The titer values are not only of diagnostic importance but have prognostic value as regards the severity of the disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The photometric latex test for rheumatoid factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. I. correlation with other serologic tests.

The photometric latex test (PLT) for the detection of rheumatoid factors (RF) has been correlated with the sensitized sheep cell test (SSC) and the latex slide test (LST). A total of 377 sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 120 sera from control subjects were examined. When the PLT was carried out on the native sera at a lower buffer ionic strength (0.05 M), agglutination was noted in over 99% of cases, indicating interaction of complement with human immunoglobulin bound to the latex particle surface. Although thermal inactivation eliminated most of the complement agglutination, an increase in ionic strength (0.5 M) was found to be essential for measuring only RF agglutination. The serologic data were analysed statistically by computer. A highly significant correlation was found between all serologic tests and RA sera, but there was no such correlation with the control sera. The specificity of all tests was generally over 90% and did not vary significantly, but the sensitivity varied from 52.0% to 71.1%, confirming that about one-third of all RA patients are seronegative. The tests were analysed for their total diagnostic capability. The PLT with native sera at higher ionic strenght proved to be the most sensitive, but with thermally inactivated sera it had a better diagnostic capacity. The SSC test appeared to be less sensitive and of lower diagnostic validity. Rapid LST tests were clearly inferior to PLT tests. The PLT can be used as a reliable and straightforward serologic method of diagnosis in RA, especially when carried out at a higher ionic strength and with thermally inactivated sera. It should be given preference over other serologic tests for RF and could well become standard practice in rheumatologic serology as a substitute for the SSC test.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Determination of early changes in the rheumatoid hand with an electronic color analyser].

Using soft rays, X-ray pictures were taken of the hands of patients with possible and probable rheumatoid arthritis, and were then subjected to electronic colour analysis. This method represents a contribution to early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, makes the distinction between the joint capsule and rheumatoid pannus possible, and ensures the early discovery of cartilage damage, which has not been possible with any other noninvasive method.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Rational use of antirheumatic agents].

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Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of heat and cold on the pain threshold in rheumatoid arthritis.

Superficial heat and cold are commonly used therapeutic methods in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Both procedures have analgesic effect. In 30 inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis the pain threshold was measured before and after warm bath and ice massage. Rheumatoid patients had significantly lower pain threshold compared to the healthy subjects in normal circumstances. Heat and cold remarkably raise the pain threshold right after the application. The pain threshold is also raised 10 and 30 min after cryotherapy, but not after the warm bath. Between investigated groups there were no statistically significant differences in the pain threshold values in any observed time. We consider that both methods have a reasonable place in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗