[C-reactive protein in inflammatory articular diseases: comparison of concentrations in blood and synovial fluid].

We evaluated the diagnostic value of measuring C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in blood and in synovial fluid for the detection of inflammatory articular diseases in 154 patients. High concentrations of CRP in blood were found in microcrystalin arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and Horton's disease. Our results show a good correlation between CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate for ankylosing spondylitis (p less than 0.

Fibronectin is unsuitable as a tumor marker in pleural effusions.

We studied 75 patients with nonmalignant pleural effusions (50 with pneumopathy, 16 with pulmonary tuberculosis, and nine with congestive heart failure) and 33 patients with malignant pleural effusions. We selected 105 mg/L as the most suitable cutoff concentration of fibronectin for distinguishing between the two groups. We found high concentrations of fibronectin in 21 of the 33 patients with malignant pleural fluid but also in 37 of the 75 patients with nonmalignant pleural fluid.

[Plasma fibronectin: influence of age and sex].

The aim of this study was to determine, first, the effect of sex and age on the results of plasma fibronectin (Fn), and also the possible influence of the gestational age. The plasma Fn concentrations are higher in men than in women only in a range of 15-29 years old. The age dependence is very strong on plasma Fn levels; it practically double during life.