[Correlation analysis between position of head, cervical curvature classification and balance of cervical spine through lateral plain radiograph measurement].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between position of head, cervical curvature type and associated cervical balance parameters in a neutral looking-forward posture. METHODS: Cervical lateral X-rays of 60 patients with cervical spondylosis were selected from January to December 2015. There were 22 males and 38 females with an average age of (35.5±10.9) years old. The measured parameters included cervical curvature type, McGregor slope, C2 lower end plate slope, T1 slope, center of gravity to C7 sagittal vertical offset (CG-C7 SVA), and C2 to C7 sagittal vertical offset (C2-C7 SVA). The parameters were analyzed using Spearman correlation. RESULTS: The cervical curvature type was significantly correlated with C2 lower endplate slope, C0-C2 angle (total degree of C2 lower endplate slope plus McGregor slope), CG-C7 SVA and T1 slope (P<0.05), but it was not significantly correlated McGregor slope (P>0.05). C2 lower endplate slope and C2-C7 SVA (r=0.87) were significantly (P<0.05) correlated with CG-C7 SVA (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was certain some relationship among position of head, cervical curvature type and associated cervical balance parameters in a neutral looking-forward posture. The center of gravity of the head would backwards shift following faced upward. A position of extension with posterior-shifting of the head would suggest that it may be accompanied with a relatively normal lordosis of the cervical spine. Some patients with abnormal curvature showed slightly bended head in the natural posture. Health education toward these people would be meaningful to restore the balance of their neck.

[Study on the clinical value of cervical spondylosis with articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation on the pathogenesis of cervical spondylosis, and provide a thread for diagnosis and treatment of cervical spondylosis with manipulation. METHODS: There were two groups in the study, which were non cervical spondylosis group and cervical spondylosis group. There were 333 patients in cervical spondylosis group, included 119 males and 214 females with the mean age of(48.11±12.21) years old. The patients were recruited from clinic service of orthopaedics in Shuguang Hospital between March 2006 and December 2008. There were 73 subjects in non cervical spondylosis group, included 18 males and 55 females with the mean of(45.99±11.47) years old. The subjects were recruited from undergraduate students, postgraduate, advanced study persons, and community personnel. The position relation of the atlanto axial joint was observed by cervical X rays with opening position, and the incidence rate of articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation was compared between two groups, and their clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation in cervical spondylosis group was 81.38%(271/333)and was more than non cervical spondylosis group(P<0.01). Furthermore, the pattern of the articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation in cervical spondylosis group was complicated and diversified, which was 50.55% (137/271)with single moving sublaxation, 7.01%(19/271) with revolving sublaxation, 42.44%(115/271) with single moving and revolving sublaxation. CONCLUSIONS: The articulatio atlantoepistrophica sublaxation may be a X ray diagnostic indication to the cervical spondylosis, which should be grouping studied in clinic. It will provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical spondylosis.

[Study on the correlation between "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" and cervical spondylosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relation between "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" and cervical spondylosis. METHODS: From March 2006 to October 2011,333 patients with cervical spondylosis were collected in the study as cervical spondylosis group; 30 subjects of control group come from student of Shuguang Hospital and other health volunteer. There were 119 males and 214 females with a mean age of (48.11 +/- 12.21) years in cervical spondylosis group and there were 6 males and 24 females with a mean age of (45.27 +/- 10.12) years in control group. In aspect of the symptom and sign, dynamic palpation, X-ray examination wer performed to find the incidence rate of "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" in two groups. RESULTS: There was significant difference in symptom and sign, dynamic palpation, X-ray examination between two groups (P<0.01). In cervical spondylosis group, "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" occurred in 293 cases (87.99%),there was significant difference compared with control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Cervical "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" is one of pathological point of cervical spondylosis,and it can provide a guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical spondylosis.

[Understanding and diagnosis of "Gu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao].

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that "Gu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao "is the key pathogenesis for spinal degenerative disease, such as cervical spondylosis, but there is also lots of controversy for the concept of "Go Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao". The paper emphasizes the concept of "Cu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao" from structural abnormality and dysfunction, and build the clinical standard of cervical "Gu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao" from clinical symptoms, conventional physical signs of cervical spondylosis, special physical signs (mainly by palpation) and imaging measurement (special measuring method).

Integrative TCM Conservative Therapy for Low Back Pain due to Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Low back pain due to lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is very common in clinic. This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of integrative TCM conservative therapy for low back pain due to LDH. A total of 408 patients with low back pain due to LDH were randomly assigned to an experimental group with integrative TCM therapy and a control group with normal conservative treatment by the ratio of 3 : 1. The primary outcome was the pain by the visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcome was the low back functional activities by Chinese Short Form Oswestry Disability Index (C-SFODI). Immediately after treatment, patients in the experimental group experienced significant improvements in VAS and C-SFODI compared with the control group (between-group difference in mean change from baseline, -16.62 points, P < 0.001 in VAS; -15.55 points, P < 0.001 in C-SFODI). The difference remained at one-month followup, but it is only significant in C-SFODI at six-month followup (-7.68 points, P < 0.001). No serious adverse events were observed. These findings suggest that integrative TCM therapy may be a beneficial complementary and alternative therapy for patients with low back pain due to LDH.

[Close reduction combined with minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis for proximal and distal tibial fractures: a report of 56 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of close reduction combined with minimally invasive percutanous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) for proximal and distal tibial fractures. METHODS: From March 2007 to December 2010, 56 patients with proximal and distal tibial fractures were treated with close reduction combined with MIPPO technique. There were 39 males and 17 females,aged from 22 to 67 years with an average of 41.3 years. Left fracture was in 25 cases and right fracture was in 31 cases; proximal tibial fracture was in 15 cases and distal tibial fractures was in 41 cases; 34 cases caused by fall down and 22 cases caused by road accident. The mean time from injury to operation was 1.7 d. Clinical manifestation included pain, swelling of leg with limitation of activity. According to the standard of Johner-Wruhs, clinical effects were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 46 min in 56 patients. All fractures obtained satisfactory reduction and the location of plate was good. Incisions healed with one-stage and no superficial or deep infection was found. All the patients were followed up from 8 to 23 months with an average of 14.2 months. Only one fracture complication with delayed union,and after auto grafting with ilium bone,the fracture got union. Other 55 cases obtained bone healing in 15 to 20 weeks after operation and no internal fixation failure was found. The time of walking was 4-6 months after operation,without limping at 7 months after operation. Both lower extremities were symmetrical and the function of knee and ankle got complete recovery. According to the criteria of Johner-Wruhs score,46 cases obtained excellent results,9 good and 2 fair. CONCLUSION: Treatment of proximal and distal tibial fractures with close reduction and MIPPO technique can not only preserve soft tissue,simplify operative procedure and decrease wound, but also can obtain rigid internal fixation and guarantee early function exercises of knee and ankle joints. The method has the advantages of less soft tissue injury, less blood loss, reliable fixation, which is effective method in treating proximal and distal tibial fractures and corresponds with the standpoint of biological fixation.

[Clinical application of non-collinear spinous process in the diagnosis of cervical vertebra "Gu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao"].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze value of X-ray in diagnosis of cervical vertebral rotation. METHODS: From May 2010 to June 2011,129 patients with cervical spondylosis were collected and examined by X-ray. Among them, 119 cases were collinear spinous, other 10 cases were excluded with collinear. Of involved patients, 28 cases were male,91 cases were females with an average age of (48.53 +/- 14.32) (ranged, 24 to 65) years. The segments and numbers of vertebral body spinous process which were not centered were recorded, and then CT scan was performed to examine segments of vertebral body and spinous process which were not centered to observe rotation of cervical vertebra and spinous process deviation. The relationship between numbers of spinous not centered and vertebral rotation was statistical analyzed. RESULTS: When the number of spinous not centered ranged from 1 to 6, vertebral rotation rate were 45.45%, 46.67%, 56.86%, 62.07%, 77.14%, 85.19% respectively. CONCLUSION: The more numbers of vertebral spinous process not centered, the more chance of corresponding vertebral rotation.

[Clinical significance of vertebral artery MRA to vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis' diagnosis and treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical significance of vertebral artery magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis' diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: There were two groups in the study, which were observation group and control group. There were 53 patients in observation group,including 19 males and 34 females,with a mean age of (52.51 +/- 11.29) years. There were 30 subjects in control group,including 10 males and 20 females,with a mean age of (48.11 +/- 12.21) years. Based on the vertebral artery MRA picture,the course and caliber of vertebral artery were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The abnormal incidence of course and caliber of vertebral artery in observation group was higher than that of control group, which had statistic difference (P=0.000). Furthermore, the patterns of abnormal course and caliber of vertebral artery in observation group were complicated and diverse, but the regional circuity and stegnosis was the most common pattern,about 47.18%(25/53). The cause of circuity and stegnosis was vertebra Gu-Cuofeng,about 43.41% (23/53). CONCLUSION: The vertebral artery MRA provides a guidance for the diagnosis of abnormal course and caliber of vertebral artery in vertebral artery cervical spondylosis.

[Retrospective analysis and prevention strategies for accidents associated with cervical manipulation in China].

OBJECTIVE: To review previously reported injuries cases which were associated with cervical manipulation in China, and to describe the risks and benefits of the therapy. METHODS: Relevant case reports, review articles, surveys, and investigations regarding treatment of cervical spondylosis with cervical manipulation involving accidents and associated complication were retrived with a search of the literature from SinoMed, CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang digital databases between 1979 to March 2011. The data were extracted and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Total of 150 cases of injury reported in 40 articles corresponded the inclusion criteria. Accidents occurred in 156 cases,of them,syncope was in 45 cases (28.85%), mild spinal cord injury or compression was in 34 cases (21.79%), nerve root injury was in 24 cases (15.38%), ineffective or symptom increased was in 11 cases (7.05%); cervical spine fracture was in 11 cases (7.05%), dislocation or semiluxation was in 6 cases (3.85%), soft tissue injury was in 3 cases (1.92%), serious accident was 22 cases (14.70%, including paralysis, death and cerebrovascular accident). In cases of serious accident, 12 cases (54.55%) had the other primary diseases. Types of related manipulation including rotation reduction (42.00%, 63 cases), rubbing points or muscle resulting strong stimulation (28.00%, 42 cases). 100 cases (66.67%) obtained cured or basically recovered results, 21 cases (14.00%) improved, 4 cases (2.67%) deterioration and 5 cases (3.33%) died. CONCLUSION: It is imperative for practitioners to complete the patients' management and assessment before manipulation. That the practitioners conduct a detailed physical examination and make a correct diagnosis would be a pivot method of avoiding accidents. Excluding contraindications and potential risks, standardizing evaluation criteria and practitioners' qualification, increasing safety awareness and risk assessment and strengthening the monitoring of the accidents could decrease the incidence of accidents.

[Enlightenment by chiropractic's developing mode].

Traditional Chinese spinal manipulative therapy (TCSMT) and Chiropractic are similar in treating related with spinal disease, but they keep different characteristics of themselves. Although Chiropractic's "Subluxation" and TCSMT's "Jin Chu Cao and Gu Cuo Feng" theory have not be widely recognized, yet Chiropractic has already have official cooperation with WHO,and has launched "WHO Basis of Chiropractic Training and Security Guide" which would promote the project further research. Comparatively, TCSMT has mature theoretical system and satisfactory clinical effectiveness, but it's hard to global spreading formally and legally. By means of cogitation of the TCSMT'S basic theories and clinical applications, this paper aims to analyze the inadequacy aspects of it, and hope to borrow some Chiropractic's advantage to TCSMT's global spreading. And I wish this paper could be helpful for relative doctors and researchers.

[Study on the effect of vertebrae semi-dislocation on the stress distribution in facet joint and interuertebral disc of patients with cervical syndrome based on the three dimensional finite element model].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of vertebrae semi-dislocation on the stress distribution in facet joint and interuertebral disc of patients with cervical syndrome using three dimensional finite element model. METHODS: A patient with cervical spondylosis was randomly chosen, who was male, 28 years old, and diagnosed as cervical vertebra semidislocation by dynamic and static palpation and X-ray, and scanned from C(1) to C(7) by 0.75 mm slice thickness of CT. Based on the CT data, the software was used to construct the three dimensional finite element model of cervical vertebra semidislocation (C(4)-C(6)). Based on the model,virtual manipulation was used to correct the vertebra semidislocation by the software, and the stress distribution was analyzed. RESULTS: The result of finite element analysis showed that the stress distribution of C(5-6) facet joint and intervertebral disc changed after virtual manipulation. CONCLUSION: The vertebra semidislocation leads to the abnormal stress distribution of facet joint and intervertebral disc.

[Case control study on the association between abnormality curvature of cervical spine and pathogenesy of cervical spondylosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the abnormality curvature of cervical spine and pathogenesy of cervical spondylosis, in order to provide a new way in diagnosis of cervical spondylosis. METHODS: There were two groups in the study, which were non-cervical spondylosis group (with heath adults) and cervical spondylosis group. From March 2006 to December 2008, 333 patients (out-patients in department of orthopaedics of Shuguang hospital) in cervical spondylosis group, which were 119 males, 214 females with an average age of (48.11 +/- 12.21) years. There were 73 subjects in non-cervical spondylosis group, which was 18 males, 55 females with an average age of (45.99 +/- 11.47) years. Based on the lateral view X-ray pictures of cervical spine, the abnormality curvature and character of cervical spine were studied in two groups. RESULTS: The incidence rate in abnormality curvature of cervical spine in cervical spondylosis group (achieved to 95.50%) was more than that of non-cervical spondylosis group, there was significant difference between two groups (P = 0.000 < 0.01). Furthermore, the patterns of the abnormality curvature of cervical spine in cervical spondylosis group was complicated and variegated, of which physiological curvature diminished had 23.12% (77 cases), turn straight had 40.84% (136 cases), increased had 0.60% (2 cases), recurved had 12.01% (40 cases), S shape had 4.20%(14 cases), contra-S shape had 2.70% (9 cases), upper flex and lower straight had 4.50% (15 cases), upper straight and lower flex had 7.51% (25 cases). CONCLUSION: The abnormality curvature of cervical spine may be an X-ray diagnostic indication to the cervical spondylosis, which is complicated and variegated. It will provide the guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical spondylosis.

[Systematic review of clinical randomized controlled trials on manipulative treatment of lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the manipulative treatment on lumbar disc herniation and analyze the current status of clinical studies. METHODS: The PubMed, OVID, Cochrane Library, CBM - disc database, CNKI database and VIP Database were retrieved, and 832 literatures on manipulative treatment for lumbar disc herniation were collected, in which 8 articles met the inclusion criteria. Cochrane systematic review was used to evaluate the quality; and RevMan 4.2 was used for Meta Analysis of Literatures. RESULTS: There were total 911 patients in the 8 articles. The summary OR for the combined cure rate of the 8 articles was 3.65, and the 95% CI was [2.15, 6.20]. The summary OR for the combined efficiency was 3.56, and the 95% CI was [2.35, 5.38]. The cure rate and effective rate of the patients in manipulative group were superior to those of patients treated with other methods such as drugs, traction, acupuncture, microwave thermotherapy (all the methods were called as "other therapies"). CONCLUSION: This study shows that manipulative treatment on lumbar disc herniation is safe, effective, and both cure rate and the effective rate is better than other therapies. But the number of documents is limited and the quality is not very high, and the conclusion is still uncertain, high-quality evidence is needed to be further validated.

Genetic heterogeneity in rheumatoid arthritis mouse models induced by extrinsic and intrinsic factors.

A cumulative effect of the susceptibility genes with polymorphic alleles may be responsible for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to clarify whether susceptibility to RA is under the control of common allelic loci between two different RA models induced by extrinsic and intrinsic factors, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1 mice and arthritis in MRL/Mp (MRL) mice associated with the Fas deficient mutant gene, Fas(lpr), respectively. CIA was examined in mice of parental DBA/1 and MRL, (MRL x DBA/1) F1 and (MRL x DBA/1) F2 progenies. In genome-wide screening of the severity in the F2 using microsatellite markers, significant linkage was observed on chromosomes 5 and 17 at map position of D5Mit259 and H-2, respectively, associated with DBA/1 alleles, while there was no loci associated with arthritis of MRL-Fas(lpr) mice previously identified. In a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, the locus on chromosome 5 showed the highest peak at map position 35 cM (LOD score 6.0). This study may indicate that the arthritis induced by extrinsic and intrinsic factors is under the control of a different combination of susceptibility genes with common and different alleles, possibly simulating the genetic heterogeneity of RA.

[Study on the method of construct the three-dimensional finite element model of cervical vertebrae semidislocation].

OBJECTIVE: Cervical vertebra semidislocation was one of major pathological aspects of cervical spondylosis, and it was also the target of manipulation to treat cervical spondylosis. The aim of this study was to combine the technology of three dimensional finite element analysis to investigate the method to construct the cervical vertebra semidislocation model. METHODS: A cervical spondylosis patient (male, 28 years old,176 cm tall, weight 69 kg) was randomly chosen, who was diagnosed cervical vertebra semidislocation by dynamic and static palpation and X-ray,and CT scanned from C1 to C7 by 0.75 mm slice thickness. Based on the CT data, the software was used to construct the three dimensional finite element model of cervical vertebra semidislocation (C4-C6). RESULTS: The model showed the three dimensional changes of vertebra semidislocation clearly. C5 had a three-dimensional abnormal position, which was downward translation for 0.9 mm and clockwise rotation for 4.5 degrees around X-axis. So C5 was diagnosed as hypokinesis-type semidislocation. CONCLUSION: The method to construct the three dimensional finite element model of cervical vertebra semidislocation is reliable, which provide a base study to analyse the mechanism of manipulation to treat vertebra semidislocation.

[Diagnosis and treatment of intervertebral disc disease based on the theory of "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao"].

It has previously been reported that the incidence rate of intervertebral disc disease including cervical and lumbar vertebra is at the 8th position among the chronic and difficult treated diseases in China. There are great challenges on the improving diagnosis and treatment as well as reducing recrudescence of this degenerative disease. It was well known that the degeneration and bulge or herniatation of intervertebral discs are the main reasons for it, and the treatment for it always focuses on the disc recovery. However, the discrepancy of the effect and expectation indicated that there were other reasons for it. Based on the clinical knowledge of intervertebral discs disease and combined with the cognition of Traditional Chinese Medicine,we proposed that the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc disease was Gucuofeng and Jinchucao, which meant that the improper location of diapophysis and the declined of muscle strength may cause the unstable of spine, unstable spine thus aggravated the semiluxation of diapophysis.

Mast cell hyperplasia in the skin of Dsg4-deficient hypotrichosis mice, which are long-living mutants of lupus-prone mice.

Desmosomal cadherins are essential cell adhesion molecules expressed in the epidermis. We identified a mutation of a cadherin superfamily member, namely, desmoglein 4 (Dsg4), in early onset of death (EOD)( hage ) mice with hypotrichosis. The mutation was induced by the insertion of an early transposon II-beta into intron 8 of Dsg4. Mast cell hyperplasia was observed in the skin of EOD( hage ) mice. The abnormally expanded population of lpr T cells, i.e., CD4(-)CD8(-)B220(+)Thy1.2(+) alphabetaT cells, in the splenocytes of EOD mice was reduced in EOD( hage ) mice. Therefore, it was suspected that the long-living mutant EOD( hage ) mice were selected from lupus-prone EOD mice because of their immunological immaturity. These findings clearly indicate that Dsg4 is an important molecule for the formation of hair follicles and hypothesize that unorganized hyperplastic hair follicles in anagen due to the Dsg4 mutation provide niches for mast cell precursors in the skin.

Novel recombinant congenic mouse strain developing arthritis with enthesopathy.

Based on the hypothesis that the complex pathological and immunological manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the related diseases are under the control of multiple gene loci with allelic polymorphism, a recombinant congenic mouse strain was prepared between an MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) strain, which develops arthritis resembling RA, and a non-arthritic strain C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H/lpr). In MRL/lpr x (MRL/lpr x C3H/lpr) F1 mice, the mice developing severe arthritis were selected based on joint swelling to further continue intercrosses, and then an McH-lpr/lpr-RA1 (McH/lpr-RA1) strain was established and its histopathological phenotypes of joints and autoimmune traits were analyzed. Arthritis in McH/lpr-RA1 mice developed at a higher incidence by 20 weeks of age, compared with that in the MRL/lpr mice, who had severe synovitis (ankle, 60.3%; knee, 65.1%), and also fibrous and fibrocartilaginous lesions of articular ligamenta resembling enthesopathy (ankle, 79.4%; knee, 38.1%), resulting in ankylosis. The lymphoproliferative disorder was less, and serum levels of IgG and IgG autoantibodies including anti-dsDNA and rheumatoid factor were lower than those of both MRL/lpr and C3H/lpr strains. McH/lpr-RA1 mice may provide a new insight into the study of RA regarding the common genomic spectrum of seronegative RA and enthesopathy.

[Application of ICP-AES to detection of inorganic elements in roots bleeding sap from maize and soybean plants].

The constituents of the roots bleeding sap are an important index characteristic of roots activity and roots-shoots relationship. To compare the differences between the constituents of roots bleeding sap from maize and soybean plants, roots bleeding saps were collected from maize (Zea mays L. cultivar 3138) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cultivar Ludou 11] plants at different growth and development stages under field condition, and the inorganic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results indicated that both the constituents of inorganic elements and flow intensities were various between roots bleeding saps from maize and soybean plants at different growth and development stages. The flux of inorganic elements in roots bleeding sap showed different trends with progress in plants growth and development. In the roots bleeding sap from maize, the predominant inorganic elements were K, Ca, Mg, P, Na, Si, Zn, Mn and Fe, with flux ranging from 1 to 1 851.5 microg x h(-1) x plant(-1). The flux of B, Cu and Mo was relatively lower and less than 1 microg x h(-1) x plant(-1), while none of the elements of Co, Cd, Ba, Pb, Sr and As could be detected, and was estimated to be lower than 0.01 microg x h(-1) x plant(-1) based on the detection limit. The flow of most inorganic elements showed decreasing trends with plant development progressing from booting to grain filling stage. In the roots bleeding sap from soybean, Ca, Mg, K, P, Na, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu were found as predominant inorganic constituents, ranging from 1 to 1 158 microg x h(-1) x plant(-1). The flow of both B and Mo was found lower than 1 microg x h(-1) x plant(-1), and none of Si, Co, Cd, Ba, Pb, Sr and As could be found. With the growth and development, different inorganic elements showed various changing pattern.

A non-major histocompatibility locus determines tissue specificity in the pathogenic process underlying synovial proliferation in a mouse arthropathy model.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and characteristics of spontaneous ankylosis in the ankle of specific F(1) mice descended from two Fas-deficient strains were reported. Here the coincidence of synovial proliferation and ankylosis in the descendent F(2) mice is reported. AIM: To clarify whether the two distinct manifestations are genetically different. METHODS: An arthropathic group of mice (MCF(2)) were bred by intercrossing MRL/Mp.Fas(lpr)-sap(-)/sap(-) and C3H/He.Fas(lpr) mice. All mice were killed by bleeding under anaesthesia when they were 6 months old. Pathological grades for synovial proliferation were determined by microscopical examination. To obtain a linkage locus, the whole genome of male MCF(2) mice was scanned by using 73 microsatellite markers. RESULTS: Synovial proliferation was equally observed in male and female MCF(2) mice. No correlation was observed between the grades of synovial proliferation and the ankylosis occurring in the MCF(2) mice. A suggestive susceptibility locus was shown in the middle of chromosome 11. This locus was an MRL allele with a recessive inheritance mode. CONCLUSION: The pathogenic mechanisms of synovial proliferation and ankylosis are genetically different. The present locus is overlapped with some loci associated with rheumatoid arthritis and with others associated with experimental arthritides.