Cytokines in the rheumatic diseases

Cytokines and eicosanoids in rheumatic diseases.

Synovial fluid concentration of five different cytokines in rheumatic diseases.

Interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and the interferons, alfa and gamma, were measured concurrently in synovial fluid samples from 68 patients with rheumatic diseases. Mean interleukin-1 beta concentrations (130.3 (SD 22) pg/ml) were higher in synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in those from patients with osteoarthritis (27.8(4.5)pg/ml...

Fasting and rheumatic diseases

Fasting is one of the important religious practices of Muslims, in which the individuals abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. Fasting is not obligatory or even not allowed, in case it causes health problems to the fasting individual. Rheumatic diseases are a major group of chronic diseases which can bring about numerous problems while fasting. The aim of this article is to revi...

The biological and clinical importance of the 'new generation' cytokines in rheumatic diseases

A better understanding of cytokine biology over the last two decades has allowed the successful development of cytokine inhibitors against tumour necrosis factor and interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6. The introduction of these therapies should be considered a breakthrough in the management of several rheumatic diseases. However, many patients will exhibit no or only partial response to these therapie...

The kidney in rheumatic diseases.

Certain rheumatic diseases are associated with unequivocal renal involvement. Examples are the immune complex mediated glomerular nephritis of systemic lupus erythematosus, the renal involvement in other connected tissue disorders such as polyarteritis nodosa, and the renal amyloid that can complicate rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. Patients with these complications of rheumatic...