Magnetic resonance imaging of the craniocervical junction in rheumatoid arthritis: value, limitations, indications.

The cervical spine is the second most common location for manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Symptoms are typically related to involvement of the craniocervical junction. Unfortunately, conventional radiographic examination is often unable to demonstrate that RA is the cause of such symptoms.

[Effect of gold on lymphocyte stimulation by influenza A in chronic polyarthritis].

In vitro stimulation with influenza-A antigens of the peripheral lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis is significantly higher than that in those from healthy controls. Stimulation was performed without autologous serum, is dependent on the monocyte function and correlates with disease activity. Gold compounds can inhibit monocyte function and so the lymphocyte stimulation by influenza-A antigens.

[Demonstration of increased influenza-A-antibody levels in the serum of patients with chronic polyarthritis].

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis show increased levels of anti-influenza-A antibodies in their sera compared to healthy controls and patients with other inflammatory rheumatic diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis). These antibody levels are dependent on the activity of rheumatoid arthritis.

[Interaction of isoxicam and digoxin].

The influence of maintenance therapy with Isoxicam, 200 mg daily, on digoxin steady-state plasma levels was studied on 12 healthy volunteers. One person dropped out from the investigation program on account of cardiac sensations following the invasion phase with digoxin. No statistically significant differences could be shown during concomitant therapy or after withdrawal of Isoxicam.

[Indomethacin kinetics in synovia and plasma following administration of indomethacin Gits 7/85 in patients with chronic polyarthritis].

Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis received a single dose of the new therapeutic system of indomethacin (Gits 7/85). Samples of plasma and synovial fluid were taken after 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h. Concentration peaks could not be observed.

An interaction study between benoxaprofen and digoxin.

The influence of maintenance therapy with benoxaprofen, 600 mg daily, on digoxin steady-state plasma levels was studied in 12 patients with rheumatic disease. No difference could be shown during concomitant therapy or after withdrawal of benoxaprofen (p greater than 0.10 and p greater than 0.

[Comparison of bumadizone-, phenylbutazone- and oxyphenbutazone-plasma levels after a single oral dose of phenylbutazone and of bumadizone, respectively (author's transl)].

Bumadizone-calcium-semihydrate and phenylbutazone were given orally to two groups (I and II) consisting of 6 persons each; plasma levels of bumadizone, phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone were determined over a period of 384 h. For bumadizone a plasma half-life of 6.9 h was found, maximum plasma levels were reached after 1-6 h varying from 27 to 46 microgram/ml.

[Muscle blood flow and capillary diffusion capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (author's transl)].

Capillary blood flow (Xenon-133) and diffusion capacity for Chrom-51-EDTA (PS-Product of Renkin) of striated muscle tissue were examined by double isotope method in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Xenon-Clearance and PS-Product were studied under normal conditions and following hyperemisation. There existed no significant difference between rheumatoid patients and normal subjects and there was no evidence of increased capillary permeability.

[Determination of azapropazone and 8-hydroxyazapropazone in urine by direct quantitative thin-layer chromatography (author's transl)].

A method for quantitative determination of 5-dimethyl amino-9-methyl-2-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a] [1,2,4]benzotriazine-1,3-(2H)-dione (azapropazone) and 8-hydroxyazapropazone in urine has been described. The analysis is performed by quantitatively thin-layer chromatography. The method is selective with a standard deviation of about 5%.

[Azapropazone plasma levels under simultaneous treatment with an antacid or laxative].

Azapropazone is a non-steroid antirheumatic drug, commonly used in long-term treatment of inflammatory and non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Since antacids and laxatives are often taken simultaneously the present study was concerned with the influence of a concomitant treatment with medium doses of dihydroxy-aluminium sodium carbonate, magnesium aluminum silicate, bisacodyl and anthraquinone cathartics on steady-state plasma levels of azapropazone when azapropazone was given as an oral dose 3 times daily to 15 patients. Azapropazone plasma levels were determined 5 h after azapropazone administration by a direct quantitative thin-layer chromatographic method.

[On the determination of azapropazone from plasma by direct quantitative thin-layer chromatography (author's transl)].

For the purpose of investigating drug interactions, a new selective method for determination of 5-dimethylamino-9-methyl-2-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a] [1,2,4]benzotriazine-1,3(2H)-dione-dihydrate (azapropazone, Prolixan 300) was developed. The method is based upon the direct quantitation of the drug by thin-layer chromatography using remission measurement. The method is well suited for routine analysis of numerous samples, because of its simplicity and rapidity.

[Kinetics of digitoxin during antirheumatic therapy with azapropazone (author's transl)].

The effect of chronic therapy with 5-dimethylamino-9-methylamino-9-methyl-2-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a] [1,2,4] benzotriazine-1,3-(2H)-dione-dihydrate (azapropazone-dihydrate; Prolixan 300) on the elimination of a single i.v. dose of digitoxin was studied in 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis using a crossover design.