Algodystrophy in conjunction with van der Hoeve's syndrome.

Van der Hoeve's syndrome is the all-round variant of Lobstein's disease (late osteogenesis imperfecta) and is characterized by the concurrent presence of osteoporosis, blue sclerae, and deafness. The literature has reported sporadic cases of a combination of algodystrophic syndrome and Lobstein's disease. Our case represents a classic example: a 50-year-old woman with blue sclerae since birth, bilateral deafness, major dental alterations, vitreous osteoporosis and a history of pathological fractures who, two years from the onset of menopause, complained of pain involving the right ankle.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the study of cervical myelopathy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Cervical myelopathy is found fairly often with rheumatoid arthritis. It is one of the worst complications of the disease and can lead to tetraplegia or even to sudden death. However, when we consider the high incidence of involvement of the cervical spine in rheumatoid arthritis, the number of cases of cervical myelopathy, even of slight degree, is not very high.

Plasma and synovial fluid concentrations of piroxicam during prolonged treatment with piroxicam pivalic ester.

Piroxicam pivalic ester (CHF 10/21) is a prodrug of piroxicam and is characterized by a reduced gastric irritant activity. Plasma and synovial fluid samples were simultaneously taken from 7 patients with mono- or poly-articular arthritis causing knee effusion, during 4 weeks of treatment with CHF 10/21 at the dose of 30 mg/day. The time courses of plasma levels of both the prodrug and the active principle were studied and a correlation of the latter with synovial fluid levels was made.

Computerized axial tomography in investigations of the rheumatoid knee.

It is essential when deciding on the therapeutic approach to the rheumatoid knee--medical or surgical--to make a precise and thorough assessment of the joint situation as a whole. In order to overcome the limitations of traditional X-ray methods, the Authors used computerized axial tomography (C.A.

Double-blind multicentre study of the activity of S-adenosylmethionine in hip and knee osteoarthritis.

A randomized double-blind multicentre clinical trial was carried out to verify the effectiveness and tolerance of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) versus ibuprofen in 150 patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis. Both drugs were given orally 400 mg thrice daily for 30 days. SAMe exhibited a slightly more marked activity than the reference drug in the management of the various painful manifestations of the joint disease.

A multicentre comparison of flurbiprofen and naproxen in rheumatoid arthritis: a four-week study in 118 patients.

One-hundred and eighteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated for 4 weeks with flurbiprofen 300 mg/day (sixty patients) or naproxen 750 mg/day (fifty-eight patients) in a six-centre randomized trial. Flurbiprofen proved to be more effective than naproxen in reducing morning stiffness (p less than 0.01), Ritchie articular index (p less than 0.

Indoprofen in rheumatic patients with acute episodes: a multicentre trial.

The results are reported of an open multicentre trial in 228 rheumatic patients with flare-ups. Fourteen centres adopting the same investigational protocol collaborated in the study. Indoprofen was administered for 1 week at a daily dosage of 1000 mg according to a treatment schedule used with success in acute gouty arthritis: a 400 mg i.

[Pharmacological and clinical aspects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in primary degenerative arthropathy (osteoarthrosis)].

After some preliminary remarks of a biochemical and pharmacological nature, the authors have started a clinical study to test the antiinflammatory activity of the S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe). An open trial, carried out on 90 patients with severe degenerative arthropathies has shown that 30 mg SAMe intravenously twice a day for 14 days have a marked anti-inflammatory effect a rather term and no side-effects. In a "double-crossover" investigation, SAMe was next compared to indomethacin by i.

[Importance of enzymes in the synovial fluid. Progress report].

The significance and importance of investigation of the synovial fluid enzymes in the main arthropathies are explanined. Tables are given for the main enzymes studied, the cell compartments of origin, and data for their values in rheumatic diseases (as reported in the literature). Stress is laid on the importance of enzymes belonging to the lysosomial compartment, both in the pathogenesis of the underlying inflammation and in the relation to anatomopathological lesions in the joints.