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Biomedical subjects

W J Reynolds

Publications and source records attributed to W J Reynolds.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Plasma substance P levels in fibrositis.

The mechanism of pain in the fibrositis syndrome is unknown. We measured plasma levels of substance P in 32 patients with fibrositis and 26 sex and age matched controls using a radioimmunoassay. The mean plasma level of substance P in the patients with fibrositis was 371 +/- 91 pg/ml and in controls 397 +/- 84 pg/ml (p = NS). We conclude that determination of plasma levels of substance P in fibrositis is of no diagnostic value. This does not exclude the possible role of substance P as a neurotransmitter in the fibrositis syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

IgA related disorders in rheumatoid arthritis.

Serum monomeric and polymeric IgA, IgA rheumatoid factor (IgA-RF) and IgA containing circulating immune complexes (IgA-CIC) were studied in 192 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to explore the relationships among IgA related abnormalities and to investigate their potential associations with disease activity, immunoregulatory disorders and effect of treatments. Total serum IgA and polymeric IgA (p-IgA) levels were elevated in 23 and 11% of patients with RA, respectively. Their respective mean concentrations in serum were significantly elevated compared to normal values (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.004). A preferential increase in polymeric rather than monomeric IgA was observed. IgA-RF, detected by a solid phase ELISA, was found in 71% and was associated with decreased grip strength (p less than 0.005), active disease (p less than 0.05), increased p-IgA level (p less than 0.001), elevated p-IgA:total IgA ratio (p less than 0.05), the presence of IgA-CIC (p less than 0.005) and IgM-RF (p less than 0.005). Complement fixing IgA-CIC were detected in 40% of patients by IgA specific conglutinin and anti-C3 binding solid phase ELISA. High molecular weight IgA species precipitated by 2.5% polyethylene glycol from RA sera positive for IgA-CIC were shown to be IgA-RF complexed to IgG. Taken together, our results suggest that IgA-RF are essentially polymeric in nature and circulate as IgA-RF-IgG immune complexes. Although the presence of IgA-CIC was not associated with disease activity, IgA-CIC activated C3 and thus are potentially pathogenic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed1986

Rheumatoid arthritis after Takayasu's arteritis.

The association of Takayasu's arteritis with other rheumatic disease is rare. We report a 37-year-old female who developed Takayasu's arteritis in her 20s and subsequently developed rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Circulating immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective study using five immunoassays.

We evaluated 257 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to determine the frequency of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the serum, relationships between the presence of CIC, clinical indices of disease activity and other laboratory features, and relationships between changes in CIC levels and changes in disease activity. CIC were detected by fluid phase Clq binding activity, conglutinin binding activity, anti-C3 assay, staphylococci protein A binding assay and the precipitation of cryoglobulins. CIC in the serum were found to correlate with indices of disease activity, extraarticular features and the presence of rheumatoid factor. A change in Clq binding activity correlated with a parallel change in the joint count.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of clinical and prognostic significance of T cell regulatory subsets in rheumatoid arthritis.

Phenotypic analysis of circulating lymphocytes and T cell subsets using monoclonal antibodies was performed on 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A significant lymphopenia was observed in RA patients and correlated with the use of disease suppressant drugs (p less than 0.0001). A significant decrease in the number of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells resulted in an increase in the TH/TS ratio in 40% of RA patients. This elevated ratio did not correlate with disease activity, the presence of extraarticular features, autoantibody production or immune complex formation. We conclude that the evaluation of the TH/TS ratio has no diagnostic or prognostic value.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1985

Malakoplakia and immunosuppressive therapy. Reversal of clinical and leukocyte abnormalities after withdrawal of prednisone and azathioprine.

Malakoplakia is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disorder. It is suspected clinically by the presence of chronic infection and diagnosed by histologic examination of affected tissues. Studies of 4 patients with malakoplakia--2 renal transplant recipients, 1 patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 1 patient with polymyositis--are reported. All patients were receiving prednisone and azathioprine at the time of diagnosis and had an infection caused by Escherichia coli. Leukocytes from all patients failed to kill Staphylococcus aureus and E coli normally in vitro. Cholinergic agonists had no apparent effect on bacterial killing in vitro or in vivo in the 2 patients examined. Clinically, malakoplakia improved significantly when immunosuppressive therapy was tapered or discontinued, and leukocyte function returned to normal in all 4 patients. The cases reported here and those documented previously suggest that the pathogenesis of malakoplakia and its treatment may not be the same for all patients. Malakoplakia may be more common than previously thought, particularly with the increased use of immunosuppressive therapy.

Abscess↗
PubMed1984

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver in a patient with rheumatoid vasculitis: a morphometric study suggesting a role for hepatic arteritis in the pathogenesis.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) of the liver commonly occurs as a complication of Felty's syndrome but the pathogenesis of the hepatic lesion is not certain. We present a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, leukopenia, glomerulonephritis, NRH and portal hypertension who had histologic evidence of widespread intrahepatic arteritis and paucity of arteries less than 40 micron diameter. We postulate that in this patient the arterial lesions caused secondary portal venous obliteration, portal hypertension, and nodular transformation.

Arteritis↗
PubMed1980

The arthropathy of maintenance intermittent peritoneal dialysis.

Among 61 patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis for an average of 20 months, 13 (21%) had a history of attacks of acute arthritis and 19 (31%) were found to have tender and often swollen joints. Deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in articular cartilage were identified in four patients and inflammation probably induced by hydroxyapatite crystals was noted in one. Periarticular calcification was observed in 12 patients and subperiosteal resorption of the phalanges in 20. The average calcium X phosphorus product was significantly higher (P < 0.025) in patients with a history of attacks of acute arthritis or with inflamed joints (58 +/- 12) than in those without (50 +/- 12). In the 19 patients whose treatment was changed to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis there was a significant decrease (P < 0.025) in the calcium X phosphorus product but not in the proportion of patients with attacks of acute arthritis or with inflamed joints. The results indicate that articular complications are frequent among patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis and may be more common than with long-term hemodialysis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Postdiarrheal arthropathy of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

Two patients with acute gastroenteritis in whom polyarthritis subsequently developed were found to have positive serologic results for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. With resolution of the arthropathy the antibody titres decreased. While the patient without the histocompatibility antigen HLA-B27 had an acute, self-limited arthritis, the patient with this antigen had a more chronic arthritis. Serologic typing and stool culture for Y. pseudotuberculosis should be done in cases of postdysenteric arthritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Connective tissue disease and hyperviscosity syndrome with cryoprotein and immune complexes. Report of a case with autopsy findings and review of the literature.

A case is reported of chronic polyarthritis, hepatitis and hyperviscosity syndrome associated with the presence of intermediate and high molecular weight plasma complexes, a mixed cryoprotein and widespread endarteritis obliterans of small muscular arteries. The features of this case are compared with those of other reported cases of connective tissue disease associated with hyperviscosity syndrome.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗