Significance of serum TRACP in rheumatoid arthritis.

Human serum contains two related isoforms of TRACP: TRACP 5a and TRACP 5b. Serum TRACP 5a protein is increased in about one third of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sera. This study was undertaken to examine the significance of serum TRACP isoforms 5a and 5b as disease markers of inflammation and bone destruction in RA.

Intra-articular injections for osteoarthritis of the knee.

If usual medical measures fail to control the pain of knee osteoarthritis and allow the patient to cope with its symptoms, intra-articular injections of a corticosteroid, a hyaluronan, or both can be tried.

Clinical effects of intraarticular injection of high molecular weight hyaluronan (Orthovisc) in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled, multicenter trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of injection of high molecular weight (HMW) hyaluronan (Orthovisc) in patients with mild, moderate, and severe knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: A randomized, arthrocentesis-controlled, multicenter trial. Patients (n = 372) were randomized to 4 weekly HMW hyaluronan injections (O4, n = 128), 3 weekly HMW hyaluronan injections followed by one arthrocentesis (O3A1, n = 120), or 4 arthrocenteses without injection (control group, A4, n = 124).

Development of immunoassays for serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5a.

Background: Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) consists of 2 structurally related isoforms, TRACP 5a and 5b. TRACP 5b is from bone-resorbing osteoclasts. TRACP 5a may be a macrophage product of inflammation.

Disease-specific expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoforms.

The association between elevated serum type 5 TRACP activity and metabolic bone diseases has been recognized for many years. However, serum type 5 TRACP exists as two related isoforms: 5a and 5b. Only isoform 5b is osteoclast-derived; the origin and significance of isoform 5a has hardly been explored.

Long-term efficacy and safety of intra-articular sodium hyaluronate (Hyalgan) in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Objective: This prospective cohort study evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of 5 weekly intra-articular (i.a.) injections of sodium hyaluronate (Hyalgan) in 76 patients (92 knees) with moderate to severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee whose pain was not controlled by conventional measures.

Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoforms in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the significance and source of serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Thirty-five RA, 32 osteoarthritis (OA) and 16 control subjects were studied. Serum TRACP-5b activity and total TRACP protein were determined by immunoassay.

Double blind evaluation of the long-term effects of etodolac versus ibuprofen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We compared the longterm efficacy and safety of 2 dosages of etodolac with that of ibuprofen in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The ability of etodolac to retard, arrest, reverse, or heal joint damage due to RA was also evaluated. Patients in the early stages of RA were assigned randomly to 3 parallel groups for up to 3 years of therapy: etodolac at 150 mg bid, etodolac at 500 mg bid, and ibuprofen 600 mg qid.

GM-CSF in the treatment of Felty syndrome.

Many therapeutic agents have been tried with variable success in the treatment of Felty neutropenia, but the reports are anecdotal. We now describe the second trial of recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), in a splenectomized, infected patient with Felty syndrome.

Dapsone is an effective therapy for the skin lesions of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus and urticarial vasculitis in a patient with C2 deficiency.

The deficiency of second component of complement (C2d) is the most common hereditary complement deficiency. Patients with C2 deficiency are frequently associated with an auto-immune disease process, in particular, systemic lupus erythematosus (LE)-like syndrome and/or vasculitic syndrome or bacterial infections. C2d has been associated with the LE subset of subacute cutaneous LE (SCLE), the presence of anti-Ro (SSA) antibodies, and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types A10, B18, DR2.