The radiographic changes of ankylosing spondylitis were studied in 50 females and 82 males. There was a tendency for the males to have more severe arthritic changes in the sacroiliac joints than the females, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Males significantly more often had radiological involvement of the lumbar spine. More restricted lumbar mobility, total spinal flexion, and chest expansion were found in males with x-ray changes in the lumbar spine than in males without such features. No such significant difference could be found in females. These findings may indicate a less severe disease as judged roentgenologically in females than in males. The correlations between restriction of chest and spinal mobility and x-ray changes were stronger in males.
Objectives: The pro-inflammatory proteins calprotectin (a heterocomplex of S100A8/A9) and S100A12 have been associated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to compare their potential as biomarkers in a prospective study of RA patients starting with infliximab as their first biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD).Method: Thirty-nine RA patients were examined and serum samples collected when starting with infliximab and after 3, 6, and 12 months. Calprotectin and S100A12 were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and, together with C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), measured at all time points. A disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28) was calculated. Radiographs of the hands, wrists, and feet were taken at baseline and after 3 years, and assessed according to the modified Sharp/van der Heijde (SvH) score. Responsiveness was evaluated according to the European League of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) response criteria based on 28 joints.Results: Both S100 proteins were significantly higher in seropositive than in seronegative patients (p = 0.01). Calprotectin correlated significantly with CRP (ρ = 0.51–0.75), ESR (ρ = 0.32–0.52), and DAS28 (ρ = 0.32–0.62). S100A12 correlated with calprotectin (ρ = 0.62–0.77) and CRP (ρ = 0.32–0.63). The S100 proteins, and especially calprotectin (ρ = 0.23–0.39), showed weak associations with radiographic progression, unlike CRP/ESR. None of the S100 proteins could predict responsiveness.Conclusions: Calprotectin showed the strongest correlation with measures of disease activity and may be better than S100A12 when evaluating disease activity in RA patients. More extensive studies are needed to further compare the predictive value of the S100 proteins relative to radiographic progression.
Cerebral computed tomography was performed in 60 patients referred for pre- and postcontrast scanning. The patients were randomly sampled with a nonionic contrast medium, iohexol, and an ionic contrast medium, sodium metrizoate. No complications were seen, and the adverse effects, usually a feeling of warmth, were very minor with both contrast media, but iohexol caused less discomfort than sodium metrizoate. A series of measurements of the attenuation values of well defined intracranial structures was performed and no difference in enhancement was found between the two contrast media.
A case of a large spindle-cell lipoma in an intramuscular (subfascial) localization is reported. The tumour occurred in a 58-year-old male patient and was localized subfascially in his left deltoid muscle. The tumour measured 20 X 8 X 8 cm; its weight was 780 grams. After initial biopsy, the tumour was extirpated. Microscopically, the tumour tissue consisted of mature fat cells and spindle-cell areas in varying amounts, constituting a typical appearance of a spindle-cell lipoma. There were no histological signs of malignancy. Especially, no areas of liposarcoma differentiation were detected. The patient is well, with no signs of recurrence, one and a half years after the operation. We have reviewed the literature on spindle-cell lipoma, and we believe this is the first example of this neoplasm to be reported in an intramuscular (subfascial) localization.
AbstractFibrosarcoma is a rare tumour in children. The potential of malignancy has been questioned. We present three cases of fibrosarcoma in children. The follow-up periods range from 10 to 37 years. The first patient had pulmonary metastases at the time of diagnosis in 1958. The primary tumour in fossa ischio-rectalis was resected in 1960. Lung metastases were resected in 1960 and 1989. Radiotherapy was given in 1992. He is still alive with metastases 37 years after the first manifestation of disease. The second patient had a primary tumour and several local recurrences in the mandible. He is alive without evidence of disease 4 years after resection of pulmonary metastases and 21 years after resection of the primary tumour. The third patient has no signs of recurrence or metastasic spread 10 years after a wide excision of subcutanous tumours of the left upper arm. The cases demonstrate a special tumour-entity of low-grade malignancy, which show a good prognosis and a wide spectrum of biological behaviour.
In a population survey of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) seven subjects, six males and one female, had x-ray changes in the lumbar spine typical of AS but without concomitant roentgenological sacroiliitis. The overall prevalence of such cases in the population studied was 0.37%. Four out of these seven subjects carried the tissue antigen HLA-B27 (57%). The clinical and roentgenological features of these subjects are described and it is suggested that the x-ray findings represent a mild and variant form of primary or definite AS.
XII Symposium Neuroradiologicum: October 10–16, 1982: Washington, D.C., U.S.A: Selected Abstracts in the Area of Reconstructed Imaging: Myelographic and Angiographic Contrast Media: PDF Only
