Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Joint Fluid (joint + fluid)
Selected AbstractsIliotibial band thickness: Sonographic measurements in asymptomatic volunteersJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 5 2003Lesley-Ann Goh FRCR Abstract Purpose. The aims of this study were to measure the thickness of the iliotibial band (ITB) in asymptomatic adult volunteers and to determine whether there was any correlation between these measurements and the subjects' age, weight, or height. Methods. Sonography was used to measure the ITB thickness in 31 asymptomatic volunteers (13 men and 18 women) ranging from 25 to 68 years old. Two radiologists obtained the sonographic measurements of each volunteer at the levels of the femoral condyle and the tibial condyle of both knees. Findings of fluid or bursae adjacent to the ITB were recorded. Results. The mean ITB thickness was 1.95 mm ± 0.3 mm (± standard deviation) at the level of the femoral condyle and 3.4 mm ± 0.5 mm at the level of the tibial condyle. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between ITB thickness and subject age. There was no significant correlation between ITB thickness and subject weight or height. Joint fluid was present in the lateral recess of both knees in 29 volunteers (93.5%) and 1 knee joint in 2 volunteers (6.5%). Bursae were present in 3 volunteers (9.7%). Conclusions. The mean sonographic values of normal ITB thickness established using sonography may be helpful in diagnosing ITB pathology. There is no significant correlation between ITB thickness and subject weight or height, but there is a negative correlation between ITB thickness and subject age. Joint fluid in the lateral recess is present in most asymptomatic individuals, but bursae are rare. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 31:239,244, 2003 [source] Effects of Arg-Gly-Asp Sequence Peptide and Hyperosmolarity on the Permeability of Interstitial Matrix and Fenestrated Endothelium in JointsMICROCIRCULATION, Issue 6 2004A. POLI ABSTRACT Objectives: The aims were to assess the contribution of arg-gly-asp (RGD) mediated cell integrin,matrix bonds to interstitial hydraulic resistance and to fenestrated endothelial permeability in joints. Joint fluid is generated by filtration from fenestrated capillaries and drains through a fibronectin-rich synovial intercellular matrix. The role of parenchymal cell,matrix bonding in determining tissue hydraulic resistance is unknown. Methods: The knee cavity of anesthetized rabbits was infused with saline or the competitive hexapeptide blocker GRGDTP, with or without added osmotic stress (600 mosm saline). Intra-articular pressure Pj, net trans-synovial drainage rate s, and the permeation of Evans blue-labeled albumin (EVA) from plasma into the joint cavity were measured. Results: GRGDTP increased the hydraulic conductance of the synovial drainage pathway, ds/dPj, by 71% (p = .02, paired t test, n = 6 animals). Synovial plasma EVA clearance (control 7.1 ± 0.8 ,L h,1, mean ± SEM, n = 15) was unaffected by GRGDTP (7.0 ± 2.3 ,L h,1, n = 6) or hyperosmolarity (4.9 ± 1.5 ,L h,1, n = 8) but was increased by GRGDTP and hyperosmolarity together (15.9 ± 4.8 ,L h,1, n = 5) (p = .01, ANOVA). Changes in dPj/dt evoked by GRGDTP plus hyperosmolarity, but neither alone, demonstrated increased microvascular filtration into the joint cavity (p < .001, ANOVA), as did changes in fluid absorption from the infusion system at fixed Pj. Conclusions: RGD-mediated bonds between the parenchymal cells and interstitial polymers reduce the interstitial hydraulic conductance by 42%. This helps to retain the lubricating fluid inside a joint cavity. RGD-mediated bonds also support the macromolecular barrier function of fenestrated endothelium, but in vivo this is evident only in stressed endothelium (cf. in vitro). [source] Infection of a total hip prosthesis in a dog caused by Achromobacter(Alcaligenes) xylosoxidansJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 12 2006S. L. Girling A four-year-old male, neutered Labrador retriever was presented with progressive left hindlimb lameness 10 months following total hip replacement. Radiography revealed changes consistent with infection and culture of joint fluid from the left coxofemoral joint revealed Achromobacter (Alcaligenes) xylosoxidans. The prosthesis was removed. Culture of the acetabular cup confirmed Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an uncommon but serious cause of nosocomial epidemics in hospitals for human beings. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of total hip prosthetic infection with Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Little is reported about its pathogenicity in human beings and the authors failed to retrieve any reports of its clinical significance in animals. [source] Analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi genotypes in patients with lyme arthritis: High frequency of ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer type 1 strains in antibiotic-refractory arthritisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 7 2009Kathryn L. Jones Objective Most of the Borrelia burgdorferi genotypes have been isolated from erythema migrans (EM) skin lesions in patients with Lyme disease. OspC type K strains, which are 16S,23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer type 2 (RST2) strains, are most commonly recovered, but a higher percentage of OspC type A strains (RST1), the next most commonly recovered type, is detectable in blood. The goal of this study was to determine the B burgdorferi genotypes in the joints of patients with Lyme arthritis. Methods Joint fluid samples from 124 patients seen over a 30-year period were analyzed for OspC types by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, and for RSTs by nested PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. These results were correlated with clinical outcome. Results OspC and RST genotypes were identified in 49 of the 124 joint fluid samples (40%). In these 49 samples, OspC type K strains (RST2) were identified in 21 samples (43%), OspC type A strains (RST1) were identified in 11 samples (22%), and 8 other OspC types and all 3 RSTs were identified among the remaining 17 samples (35%). However, among the 17 patients who had been treated with antibiotics according to current guidelines, all 7 patients who were infected with RST1 strains had antibiotic-refractory arthritis, compared with 4 of 6 patients infected with RST2 strains and only 1 of 4 infected with RST3 strains (P = 0.03). Conclusion Most of the B burgdorferi genotypes, particularly OspC type K (RST2), were identified in the joint fluid of patients with Lyme arthritis, and the genotype frequencies found in joints reflected those in EM skin lesions. However, RST1 strains were most frequent in patients with antibiotic-refractory arthritis. Our results help to further the understanding of the differential pathogenicity of strains of B burgdorferi. [source] Inhibition of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 proteolysis in articular cartilage and joint fluid results in enhanced concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 and is associated with improved osteoarthritisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 3 2002David R. Clemmons Objective The complement component C1s is present in dog joint fluid in an activated state. Since C1s degrades insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5), we undertook to determine whether inhibiting C1s in joint fluid would result in an increase in the amount of intact IGFBP-5 and IGF-1 in cartilage and joint fluid, and whether C1s inhibition would be associated with a reduction in cartilage destruction during the development of osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Twenty-two dogs were randomized to 3 treatment groups. All dogs underwent anterior cruciate ligament transection and were exercised. Dogs received 1 of 3 treatments: buffer alone (controls; n = 6); PB-145, a peptide derived from the sequence of antithrombin III (n = 9); and pentosan polysulfate (PPS; n = 7). PB-145 or saline was injected into the joint space 3 times per week for 3 weeks. PPS was injected intramuscularly weekly for 3 weeks. Results Joint histology showed preservation of chondrocytes and a smooth joint surface in the animals treated with PB-145 and PPS. Mankin scoring showed statistically significant reductions in joint destruction with PB-145 and PPS treatments (P < 0.01) compared with buffer control. Mean active collagenase concentrations were decreased by these two treatments. Immunoblotting of joint fluid showed that both treatments increased concentrations of intact IGFBP-5. Direct analysis of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 protease activity showed that IGFBP-5 was degraded more rapidly and that PB-145 and PPS inhibited the degradation of both proteins. Total IGF-1 concentrations in joint fluid were increased 5.6,5.8-fold by these two treatments. Analysis showed that C1s was being activated in joint fluid and that its activation was inhibited by the addition of PB-145 or PPS. Conclusion The findings suggest that direct inhibition of the serine protease C1s results in increased concentrations of intact IGFBP-5 and that proteolysis of IGFBP-3 is also inhibited, probably by the inhibition of some other protease. This increase in concentrations of intact IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 leads to an increase in IGF-1 which is associated with an improvement in joint architecture during the development of OA. [source] | ||||||||||