Eosinophilic fasciitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

We describe a patient with eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) developing 8 months after an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute myeloblastic leukemia. The patient responded to low dose prednisone. A full thickness skin-muscle-fascia biopsy detected the characteristic fascial changes of EF and distinguished it from other forms of chronic graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD).

Reduction of the risk of rheumatoid arthritis among women who take oral contraceptives.

Discrepant results among investigations of the association between oral contraceptive use and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been ascribed to shortcomings in the study methods. In the present study, we obtained detailed information on oral contraceptive use in 135 young women with confirmed definite or classic RA of recent onset and in 378 controls with soft tissue rheumatism or osteoarthritis. All patients had at least 2 years of followup to confirm the consistency of the diagnosis.

Concentration dependency of cyclosporin and chloroquine as inhibitors of cell proliferation and immunoglobulin production upon mitogen stimulation of mononuclear cells.

The effects of the drugs cyclosporin (Cs) and chloroquine (Chl) on the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced immunoglobulin (Ig) production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of blood donors, were investigated. A significant inhibition of the Ig production was found at concentrations of 0.001-0.

Minocycline treatment for rheumatoid arthritis: an open dose finding study.

Ten patients with active definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were treated with oral minocycline (maximal daily dose 400 mg) during 16 weeks in an open study. Seven patients reported side effects (in most cases vestibular) leading to premature discontinuation in one. Half of the efficacy variables improved significantly after 4 weeks of therapy.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

To evaluate the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect shoulder abnormalities 18 patients (36 shoulders) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and shoulder complaints were studied. Osseous abnormalities of the glenoid and humeral head were readily detected with MRI. The imaging planes used were not suitable for the evaluation of acromioclavicular joint involvement.

Subclinical renal dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis.

We studied renal function in 35 patients with chronic, seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), of whom 7 had vasculitis, 10 had hypergammaglobulinemia, and 18 had neither of these 2 conditions. Findings included a decreased glomerular filtration rate in 8 patients, (micro)proteinuria in 11, a defective urine concentration in 10, and increased urinary tubular enzyme levels in 15. These results indicate that subclinical renal dysfunction is common in patients with chronic, seropositive RA.

Upper gastrointestinal manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients: intrinsic or extrinsic pathogenesis?

Apart from the complication of gastrointestinal vasculitis it is not known whether the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract has any special disease characteristics in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, oesophageal motility disorders have been reported in 30% of RA patients. Hypergastrinaemia has been found in 23-43% of RA patients, usually in combination with a decreased gastric acid output.

Effect of cloxacillin prophylaxis on the bacterial flora of craniotomy wounds.

During a double-blind placebo-controlled study, the effect of cloxacillin prophylaxis in craniotomies on samples taken for culture from 334 operation wounds in 279 patients was assessed. Patients and operations were equally divided over the cloxacillin and placebo groups. In the cloxacillin group significantly fewer samples contained microorganisms than was the case in the placebo group both just after the incision was made (p less than 0.

Reversible nephrotoxicity of cyclosporine in rheumatoid arthritis.

Irreversible nephrotoxicity has limited the use of cyclosporine in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In a randomized clinical trial we compared 26 weeks of cyclosporine (5 mg/kg) and D-penicillamine (250 mg) treatment in 92 patients with RA with a serum creatinine less than 100 mumol/l. We adjusted the starting dose according to clinical response and side effects.

Elevated level of IgA gliadin antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The possibility that dietary antigens contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been proposed. Moreover, occasional patients have been described in whom coeliac disease and RA coincide. Furthermore, most RA patients are treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are known to increase gut permeability.

Infectious arthritis caused by Propionibacterium acnes: a report of two cases.

Propionibacterium acnes, a micro-organism with low pathogenicity, rarely causes arthritis in a joint without a prosthesis. This report deals with two cases of P acnes infectious arthritis probably caused by direct penetration of the micro-organism into the joint space during arthrocentesis, despite the use of strict disinfection procedures. P acnes isolated from synovial fluid cannot be dismissed as a bothersome contaminant without due consideration of the clinical status of the individual patient.

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome in a patient with sero-negative oligoarthritis.

The Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome is a rare disease consisting of orofacial swellings, facial nerve palsy and plicated tongue. The etiology is unknown. On histopathological examination a characteristic granulomatous inflammation is found.

DR4 prevalence related to the age at disease onset in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The prevalence of HLA-DR4 in relation to age at disease onset was calculated in 226 consecutive female patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A slight increase in the prevalence of DR4 with age at RA onset was found. This appeared to be due to the low percentage of rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity in the youngest age groups; the DR4 prevalence in the RF positive patients was constant for all decades--that is, approximately 60%.

Elevation of serum aluminium concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with drugs containing aluminium.

In a group of 19 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with normal renal function, serum levels of aluminium (AlS) were monitored during treatment with drugs containing this metal (Al). The AlS levels during treatment were significantly higher (0.005 less than p less than 0.

Oral contraceptive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis: an open study in 10 female patients.

Ten female patients (median age 37 years, range 23-45) with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (nine seropositive, one seronegative, seven erosive, three non-erosive) were treated during 6 months with one of the earlier, i.e. higher dosed, oral contraceptives (Lyndiol, each tablet containing 2.