[Results of autopsy examination of the knee cartilage of 120 patients dying in the hospital. II. The femoro-tibial joint].

The authors have studied the autopsy results of both tibio-femoral joints in 120 patients: 57 women and 63 men, 112 of whom were over the age of 50. The condylar and tibial cartilages were classified into 5 categories: no lesion (0); slight fissure (I); severe fissure (II); slight deep ulceration (III); large ulceration (in more than 25 p. cent of the cartilage surface) exposing the sub-chondral bone (IV).

[Results of autopsy examination of knee cartilage in 120 patients dying in the hospital. I. Femoro-patellar joint].

The authors have performed the pathological examination of the knees of 57 women and 63 men or 112 patients over the age of 50, who died in the hospital. The lesions of the patellar and trochlear cartilages were studied and classified according to four categories: stage I: non extended fissures; stage II: fissures extending over 25 p. cent of the articular surface; stage III: fissures associated with small deep ulcerations of the cartilage; stage IV: deeps and extended ulcerations of the articular cartilage exposing the sub-chondral bone.

[Antiphospholipid antibodies, thrombosis and lupus disease. Value of the assay of anticardiolipin antibodies by the ELISA technic].

The authors have developed a sensitive immunoenzymatic method for assaying anti-cardiolipin antibodies in the serum of patients with lupus (SLE). These antibodies were present in the serum of 43/108 SLE patients, particularly in those patients with either false syphilis serology (p less than 0.02) or circulating anticoagulant (p less than 0.

[Determination of anti-native DNA antibodies by immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae. Correlation between renal involvement and the presence of high-avidity anti-native DNA antibodies in lupic disease].

Low avidity native DNA - anti-native DNA complexes dissociate at alkaline pH and in high molarity solutions. This property was used to modify the indirect immunofluorescence reaction on Crithidia luciliae in order to assay high avidity anti-native DNA antibodies resistant to alkaline and strongly saline solutions. Assays were performed in the sera of 36 patients (31 women and 5 men) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

[Levels of anti-nDNA using immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae. II. Prognostic value of complement-fixing anti-nDNA. Longitudinal study of 16 lupus disorders].

Measurements of the hemolytic complement level and titrations of anti dS DNA antibodies by immunofluorescence using Crithidia luciliae and by the Farr binding assay were performed in 13 females and 3 males suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In each patient, 2 to 5 serum samples were analyzed during a mean follow up time of 16.6 months.

[Determination of anti dsDNA antibodies by immunofluorescence using Crithidia luciliae. I--Diagnostic and prognostic value in systemic lupus erythematosus. Comparison with the Farr radioimmunoassay].

Antibodies to double stranded (ds) DNA were sought by the indirect immunofluorescence method using Crithidia luciliae in 196 sera from patients suffering from hepatic, thyroid or inflammatory rheumatic disorders. Anti ds DNA antibodies were demonstrated in 29 out of 45 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera. Lower titers were found in 3 out of 7 sera from drug-induced SLE, 2 out of 6 from mixed connective tissue diseases, 1 out of 60 from scleroderma, 2 from unclassified arthritis, 8 out of 40 from rheumatoid arthritis with antinuclear factors, and in 4 out of 15 sera from chronic hepatitis.

[Significance of reduced complement level in the articular fluid. 81 cases].

Based on their own experience, the authors report that a fall in the complement level of joint fluid, which is particularly common in rhumatoid arthritis, is also seen in cases of systemic lupus eryrthematosis and a variety of arthritis: infectious arthritis, gout, articular chondrocalcinosis and psoriatic rheumatism. This should be taken into account when evaluating the diagnostic value of this test in rheumatoid arthritis.

[Anatomic incidence of meniscochondrocalcinosis of the knee].

The authors have studied the incidence of menisco-calcinosis (MC) and that of menisco-chondrocalcinosis (MCC) of knee joints of 108 non selected cadavera. The mean age of the subjects was 71.8 +/- 13.