In-shoe plantar pressure measurements for the evaluation and adaptation of foot orthoses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A proof of concept study.

Objectives: Improving foot orthoses (FOs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using in-shoe plantar pressure measurements seems promising. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) the outcome on plantar pressure distribution of FOs that were adapted using in-shoe plantar pressure measurements according to a protocol and (2) the protocol feasibility.

Methods: Forty-five RA patients with foot problems were included in this observational proof-of concept study.

Optimization of the dilute prothrombin time for the detection of the lupus anticoagulant by use of a recombinant tissue thromboplastin.

The dilute prothrombin time (dPT) is a widely accepted sensitive screening test for the lupus anticoagulant (LA). In general, Simplastin (Organon Teknika), a rabbit brain thromboplastin, diluted 1/500, is used in this test. Recently, human tissue thromboplastin obtained by recombinant DNA technology has become available and we have evaluated the usefulness of one such preparation, Innovin (Dade), for the detection of the LA.

A new lupus anticoagulant neutralization test based on platelet-derived vesicles.

We here present an easily standardizable and reproducible procedure which clearly separates lupus anticoagulants (LA) from coagulation factor inhibitors. This new LA neutralization test makes use of platelet-derived microvesicles which were prepared as follows: gel-filtered platelets (4 x 10(5)/microliters) were incubated with 60 microM of the calcium ionophore A23187 for 20 min at 37 degrees C. The vesicles were separated from the platelet aggregates by centrifugation at 1000 g for 10 min.

Generation of arachidonic acid metabolites from stimulated whole blood in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders.

We have evaluated the arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). In essential thrombocythemia (ET), the generation of thromboxane B2 was found significantly reduced and inversely correlated with platelet count. Polycythemia vera (PV) patients showed an increased formation of this metabolite of AA.