[Protein profile - concept and clinical interest]

The protein profile consists in a simultaneous assay of many proteins in serum that explores many physiopathological axes. The results are expressed in percentage of the median value [100%] related to the patient's age and sex. There are two types of protein profiles: a directed profile and a targeted profile. This exam which is based on the study of the correlation between proteins, has ameliorated the screening, the diagnosis and the survey of many biologic syndromes. The aim of this article is to review the concept of protein profile in the different biological syndromes

[ interest of biochemical markers of bone turnover for monitoring treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis]

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is especially female pathology, whose incidence increases with age. The purposes of this study are to evaluate the level of bone turnover by the determination of markers of bone formation [PAL, BAP] and marker of bone resorption [CTX] in the osteoporotic women, to study the correlations between bone biochemical markers, clinical parameters and radiological measurements and to assess the interest of biochemical markers in therapeutic monitoring after 6 months of antiresorptive treatment. The authors report a prospective study of 134 osteoporotic women classified in two groups according to the presence of osteoporotic fracture. Patients of the first group G[1] [n=102] with fractures, were treated by the bisphosphonates [risedronate], whereas the ones of the second group G[2] [n=32] without fractures, were submited to calcic supplementation and vitamin D. The analyses showed that the femoral and lumbar BMD were statistically lower in the presence of osteoporotic fractures. However, the values of CTX were statistically higher in the patients of G[1] group compared to those of the G[2] group [0,708 +/- 0,332 mg/ml versus 0,514 +/- 0,225 mg/ml]. The CTX were statistically correlated with the femoral and lumbar BMD [r = -0,21, p<0,05 and r = -0,348, p<0,001]. The hypovitminosis were observed in 50,98% [52/102] of women with osteoporotic fractures, whereas it was only 25% [8/32] in women without fractures. After 6 months of treatment by the bisphosphonates, the PAL, the BAP and the CTX have decreased with an average of, respectively, 19%, 46,5% and 62,9%. These variations were significantly more important in G[1] group. The biochemical markers of bone turnover, in particular those of the resorption [CTX], can predict the post-menopausal woman's bone loss evaluated by BMD, the risk of fractures and the efficiency of the bone treatments

[Biological markers of osteoarthritis]

Osteoarthritis is the most frequent pathology of rheumatologic affections. With the progressive ageing of the populations, it becomes a major problem of public health. Active research is under way to clarify the pathophysiology and the prognosis of this disease and to identify new targets for treatments. Recently, the development of several biological markers measured in blood, urine and/or synovial fluid by immunological methods reflect the joint tissues remodelling. The most specific markers of articular formation are mainly N and C-propeptides of type Ii procohagen [PHANP and PIIC]. The activity of the cartilage degradation is indicated by the C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen [CTX II] and COMP [cartilage oligometric matrix protein]. The hyaluronate constitutes the most used parameter for the evaluation of the activity of synthesis of the synoviocytes. The study of the interest of measuring the bone turnover markers during osteoarthritis showed contradictory results. Consequently, the interest itself is still not definite. As the evolution of osteoarthritis is unpredictable and there is no parallelism between the clinical and the radiological signs, the biological parameters could constitute predictive factors of the evolution of this pathology and direct the therapeutic attitude. A large number of studies would be necessary to standardize assay methods of these markers and to optimize their practical use

[Myositis ossificans circumscripta. About 2 cases]

Myositis Ossificaris Circumscripta [MOC] is a rare benign disorder characterized by heterotopic ossification of soft tissues. The limbs are electively affected Spontaneons regression can occur without treatment in most patients. We report two cases of MOC. The first in a 22 yen-old male, was localised in the knee, after a period of intensive physical training with functional disorder and surgical treatment. In the second, occurring spontaneously in a 38-year-old female and interesting the triceps brachii, imaging findings were specific and we did not need histopathologic confirmation. The outcome was favourable in both patients. We report the clinical features imaging findings and therapeutic control of this pathology