Tuberculosis in early medieval Switzerland--osteological and molecular evidence.

Lesions consistent with skeletal tuberculosis were found in 13 individuals from an early medieval skeletal sample from Courroux (Switzerland). One case of Pott's disease as well as lytic lesions in vertebrae and joints, rib lesions and endocranial new bone formation were identified. Three individuals with lesions and one without were tested for the presence of Myobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) ancient DNA (aDNA), and in two cases, evidence for MTBC aDNA was detected. Our results suggest the presence of tuberculosis in the analysed material, which is in accordance with other osteological and biomolecular research that reported a high prevalence of tuberculosis in medieval skeletons.

Regulation of monocyte chemokine and MMP-9 secretion by proinflammatory cytokines in tuberculous osteomyelitis.

Tuberculous osteomyelitis causes bony destruction as a result of interactions among the pathogen, resident bone cells, and influxing leukocytes. Recruitment of monocytes and T cells is critical for antimycobacterial granuloma formation, but little is known about mechanisms regulating this in bone. We investigated the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-1, key cytokines in granuloma formation, in networks involving human osteoblasts and monocytes. Experiments focused on CXC ligand (CXCL)8, CCL2, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, human monocyte-derived mediators involved in control of leukocyte influx. TNF-alpha but not IL-1 has a key role stimulating CXCL8 secretion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected human osteoblast MG-63 cells. Conditioned medium from M. tuberculosis-infected osteoblasts (COBTB) drives CXCL8 and some CCL2 gene expression and secretion from primary human monocytes. IL-1 receptor antagonist and to a lesser extent anti-TNF-alpha inhibited COBTB-induced CXCL8 secretion (P<0.01) but did not affect gene expression. IL-1 blockade had a comparatively lesser effect on CCL2 secretion, whereas anti-TNF decreased CCL2 concentrations from 7840 +/- 140 to 360 +/- 80 pg/ml/4 x 10(5) cells. Neither proinflammatory mediator affects MMP-9 secretion from COBTB-stimulated human monocytes. In summary, in a paracrine network, M. tuberculosis-infected osteoblasts drive high-level CXCL8, comparatively less CCL2, but do not alter MMP-9 secretion from uninfected human monocytes. This network is, in part, regulated by IL-1 and TNF-alpha.

Tuberculous arthritis: A report of two cases with review of biopsy and synovial fluid findings.

Two cases of tuberculous arthritis with synovial fluid findings are presented, and the major series with culture results and synovial fluid analyses are reviewed. Synovial fluid cultures are positive for tuberculosis in almost 80 per cent of proved cases. Specimens obtained by open synovial biopsy are positive by histology or culture in over 90 per cent of proved cases. Little experience with closed needle biopsy has been published. About one-fifth of the patients with tuberculous arthritis will have a positive synovial fluid acid-fast smear for tubercle bacilli. The tuberculous synovial effusion invariably has an elevated protein level, fair to poor mucin clot formation and usually a low joint fluid sugar level. The synovial fluid white cell count is usually in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 cells/mm3, but it varies widely. Most fluids exhibited a predominance of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The importance of bacteriologic or histologic study of the synovial fluid and membrane in establishing the diagnosis is emphasized. In general, this disease is different from tuberculous involvement of serous membranes both in the frequency of positive cultures and in the difference in cellular response.

[Development and use of antitubercular biocompatible implants for the treatment of tuberculous spondylitis]. / Razrabotka i primenenie v lechenii tuberkulëznykh spondilitov biosovmestimykh implantatov, obladaiushchikh protivotuberkulëznoi aktivnostíu.

The paper deals with the experimental and clinical study of a new implantable therapeutical means based on biocompatible implants containing the antituberculous agent benemycin. The developed implantant having 4 coatings releases within 10 days as high as 37% of the applied drug benemycin. Then within further 30-70 days, release of the drug is 0.7% a day. The parallel bacteriological studies with the operative material placed in agar made 30-60 days after surgery have indicated that growth retardment in rabbits is 17-30 mm, which corresponds to the levels of rifandin (0.125-1.0 microgram/g tissue. The developed implantant has been used in 130 cases of the surgical treatment of tuberculous spondylitis in order to replace a defect of the body of a vertebra and to make a depot for the antituberculous drug just in the focus. Formation of the pulley at the site of intervention was noted in 57 (43.8%) cases within 5 months and in 62 (47.7%) cases within 10 months. The developed implantant has no toxicity and produces no allergic reactions. The position results of the treatment allows it to be recommended for use in clinical practice.

Una nueva forma de comunicación entre reumatología y atención primaria: la consulta virtual / A new form of communication between rheumatology and primary care: the virtual consultation

La prevalencia de las enfermedades reumáticas ha aumentado en los últimos años y la consulta virtual de reumatología puede ser útil para reducir el número de visitas innecesarias y priorizar aquellas que requieran una atención precoz. La consulta virtual asocia la telemedicina y las telecomunicaciones. En este estudio se describen las características de las consultas virtuales realizadas a un Servicio de Reumatología en el periodo de un año, objetivándose que más de la mitad se pueden resolver sin necesidad de citar al paciente. Con la consulta virtual se ha conseguido: 1) tener un contacto cercano con el médico de atención primaria, 2) solucionar con rapidez las dudas sobre la enfermedad reumática de sus pacientes, 3) mejorar su formación en las enfermedades reumáticas y 4) priorizar a aquellos pacientes que requieran una valoración precoz por parte de un reumatólogo (AU)

In recent years, the prevalence of rheumatic diseases has increased. The virtual consultation of rheumatology could help to avoid unnecessary visits and attend those who need an early visit. The virtual consultation is associated with telemedicine and telecommunication. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of all virtual consultations performed in the Rheumatology Service during a one year period. More than a 50% were resolved without giving the patients an appointment. With virtual consultation we have achieved: 1) a closer contact with primary care, 2) rapid resolution of doubts about rheumatic disease in patients, 3) improvement of training in rheumatic disorders and 4) prioritizing those patients requiring early assessment by a rheumatologist (AU)

[Lipid peroxidation -- antioxidants -- proteinase inhibitors in osteoarticular tuberculosis]. / Sistema perekisnoe okislenie lipidov -- antioksidanty -- ingibitory proteinaz pri kostno-sustavnom tuberkulëze.

The multidimensional statistical analysis was used to thoroughly study the status of lipid peroxidation, the antioxidative system and proteolytic inhibitors in 22 patients with an active and 26 with a metatuberculous deforming osteoarticular process. In both cases, enhanced lipid peroxidation is followed by various changes in the systems of endogenous antioxidants and inhibitors of proteolysis. Imbalance of these systems in the active process, unlike the deforming osteoarticular one, requires a differential approach when proteolytic antioxidants and inhibitors are used.

Penetration of antitubercular drugs in clinical osteoarticular tubercular lesions.

In 79 consecutive cases of skeletal tuberculosis the concentration of streptomycin and ethambutol was analysed. The material for analysis was obtained from the diseased joints of 14 patients and from cold abscesses from spinal or osseous lesions in 65 patients. The concentration of the drugs in the serum and in the tuberculous material was measured 3 hours after the systemic administration of the drugs in therapeutic doses. The concentration was expressed as microgram per ml of the tuberculous material and the data were subjected to statistical analysis. Streptomycin and ethambutol penetrated freely into the tuberculous joints; their concentration in the cold abscesses, however, was half to one third of the concentration in the serum. There was a wide range of concentrations; however, in the tuberculous joints as well as in the cold abscesses the concentrations were much higher than those considered to have an inhibitory effect on mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical material.