disease that does not in some way affect the kidneys either directly as part of the disease process or as a result of treatment. In this review, ‘multisystem diseases’ are taken to mean those conditions characterised by systemic vasculitis unless otherwise specified. These rare diseases may present to almost any hospital physician, frequently with non-specific signs and symptoms, usually associ...

INTRODUCTION We present the results of real-life tests conducted in adults affected by psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with mild cutaneous involvement to evaluate the efficacy of certolizumab pegol (CZP), an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agent approved in Europe for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and PsA. METHODS Assessments included an evaluation of the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index ...

In 50 patients with non-infected total hip arthroplasties (THA), 233 C-reactive protein (CRP) values were obtained over a three-year period. Six of these 50 patients occasionally had CRP values of over 20 mg/l. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and CRP concentration were measured in 23 patients with deep infections of THA before revision. In 11 patients the infections were caused by coag...

The cell-wall structures of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) and other fruit are intimately linked with the nature of their polyuronides. Cell-wall polyuronides from unripe and ripe tomato fruit were isolated and purified and their molecular size and molecular-size distributions were compared. It was demonstrated that there is a considerable decrease in the weight-average Mr upon ripening ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate a group of 65 adults with a history of or persistent juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), on average, 26.4 yr after disease onset. METHODS Disease status at the time of the study included an evaluation of disease-related parameters assessed by the patient and the investigator. RESULTS Active disease was present in 37% of the study participants, of which 80% had either ext...

A 5-20% Ficoll velocity sedimentation gradient has been successfully applied to separate concanavalin A (Con A)-induced helper; and suppressor T cells. When titrated into a constant number of fresh normal spleen cells responding to sheep erythrocytes, cells from the top pool show stimulatory effects while those from the bottom pool show inhibitory activity. Both activities are found to be Con A...

F. 1.—Decrease of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (dESR) according to Westergren (mm in first and second hour), C-reactive protein (dCRP) (in mg/l) and rheumatoid factor (dRF) (IU/ml) during the follow-up period (=pre-therapeutic level minus 6 month level) shown in percentage points. 4. Guaydier-Souquieres C, Beguin J, Ollivier D, Loyau G. Knee arthroscopy after yttrium or osmic acid injection...

OBJECTIVE To perform a longitudinal cohort study concerning the capacity of prospectively-collected erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) and scores for physical function, pain, patient global estimate, and routine assessment of patient index data (RAPID3) on a multidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ), to recognize incomplete versus adequate responses to methotrexate in rheumato...

OBJECTIVES To determine daily production of nitric oxide (NO) measured as urinary nitrate excretion, and the effect of prednisolone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Twenty four hour urinary nitrate was measured by gas chromatography in 10 patients with RA, before and two to four weeks after commencement of prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg body weight, and in 18 healthy controls. RE...

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a common disease of the elderly. It is characterized by pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders and the pelvic girdle. In most cases erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels are highly elevated. Polymyalgia rheumatica is frequently associated with giant cell arteritis. Steroids are the standard treatment for PMR but their dosage requires adj...