Are classification criteria for spondylarthropathy useful as diagnostic criteria?

The authors used data from a study conducted under the auspices of the Société Française de Rhumatologie to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the individual items of two sets of criteria for spondylarthropathy. The study included 124 patients with spondylarthropathy and 1,964 controls. They found that the spondylarthropathy criteria with the highest sensitivities and specificities were useful not only for classifying patients but also for assisting in the diagnosis of spondylarthropathy.

[In situ migratory algodystrophies of the knee. Value of modern imaging].

The authors report three cases of migratory algodystrophy of the knee. Repeated isotope bone scan, CT scan and nuclear magnetic resonance were used to monitor the movement in situ of the pathophysiological process of algodystrophy. In one case, CT scan revealed localised hypertrophy of the soft tissues located immediately over the bone lesions.

Regional intravenous guanethidine blocks in algodystrophy.

Five-hundred-thirteen regional intravenous guanethidine blocks were carried out in 125 cases of algodystrophy (118 adults), after failure of other treatments in 120 cases (Group I) and without previous treatments in 5 (Group II). A positive result occurred in 85 cases of Group I (71%) and in the 5 cases of Group II, after 4.5 +/- 1.

[Treatment of algodystrophy by regional sympathetic blocks with guanethidine (410 blocks in 98 patients). Preliminary results].

In a preliminary retrospective study, 418 regional sympathetic blocks with guanethidine administered as treatment of 103 cases of algodystrophy gave 70 p. cent of positive results versus 55 p. cent in case of psychic disorders.