Intrathecally injected tramadol reduces articular incapacitation and edema in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reactive arthritis.

AIMS: Intrathecal injection of morphine presents analgesic and antiedematogenic effects in rats. However, it is unknown whether tramadol, which possess a mixed mechanism of action, can also produce analgesic and antiedematogenic effects similarly. MAIN METHODS: Male Wistar rats received carrageenan and LPS in the right knee joint. Tramadol (10 µg) was injected intrathecally 20 min before articular LPS injection. Incapacitation and articular edema were measured 5 h after LPS stimulation. Synovial fluid was collected for leukocyte counting and western blot analysis. Whole joint and lumbar spinal cord were also collected for histology and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Intrathecal pretreatments groups were with the NKCC1 blocker bumetanide, TRPV1 agonist resiniferatoxin, µ-opioid receptor antagonist CTOP and serotonergic neurotoxin 5,7-DHT, all previously to tramadol. KEY FINDINGS: Tramadol treatment caused the reduction of incapacitation and edema. It also reduced c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn and slightly reduced TNF-α levels in synovial fluid, but neither reduced cell migration nor tissue damage. Bumetanide and resiniferatoxin prevented the analgesic and antiedematogenic effects of tramadol. CTOP prevented the analgesic and the antiedematogenic effects, but 5,7-DHT prevented only tramadol-induced analgesia. SIGNIFICANCE: Spinal NKCC1 cotransporter and peptidergic peripheral afferents seem to be important for the analgesic and antiedematogenic effects of tramadol, as well as µ-opioid receptor. However, the monoamine uptake inhibition effect of tramadol seems to be important only to the analgesic effect.

Effect of enthesitis on 1505 Brazilian patients with spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effect of enthesitis in a large Brazilian cohort of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: A common protocol of investigation was prospectively applied to 1505 patients with SpA in 29 centers in Brazil. Clinical and demographic variables and disease indexes were investigated. The Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score was used to investigate the enthesitis component. Ankylosing spondylitis was the most frequent disease in the group (65.4%). Others were psoriatic arthritis (18.4%), undifferentiated SpA (6.7%), reactive arthritis (3.3%), and enteropathic arthritis (3.2%). RESULTS: At least 1 affected enthesis was observed in 54% of the patients with SpA, with a mean of 2.12 ± 2.98 entheses affected. According to the clinical presentation, enthesitis was significantly more frequent in patients with axial + peripheral joint involvement compared to isolated axial or peripheral involvement (p < 0.001). There was a statistical association between the presence of enthesites and axial symptoms (buttock pain, cervical pain, and hip pain), and peripheral symptoms (lower limb arthritis, number of painful and swollen joints; p < 0.05). Patients with enthesitis also presented higher mean scores of Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI; p < 0.001), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (p < 0.001), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL; p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that BASFI (p < 0.0001; OR 74.839), ASQoL (p = 0.0001; OR 14.645), and Achilles tendonitis (p = 0.0059; OR 7.593) were associated with work incapacity. CONCLUSION: The clinical presence of enthesitis in this large cohort of patients with SpA was frequent and was associated with a significant increase in disease activity and decline in functional capacity and quality of life.

Clinical features of Poncet's disease. From the description of 198 cases found in the literature.

Poncet's disease (PD) is an entity described as a reactive arthritis due to tuberculous infection elsewhere from the joints. PD existence has been questioned; however, more cases have been reported over the years. Due to its rare nature, little is known about the clinical picture of this disease and no prospective studies had been made to address this issue. We performed a systematic review of the written literature on PD in different databases using the key words "Poncet's disease," "tuberculous rheumatism," and "tuberculous reactive arthritis." Out of 78 articles, 198 patients were included in the analysis, plus our patient. Several characteristic patterns were found. Also, a review of the pathogenesis and some hypotheses are made. PD is a well-defined entity, which should be taken as a reactive arthritis for future studies given the increase in TB incidence and prevalence around the world, especially in high-burden countries.

Artritis reactiva después de tratamiento con BCG para cáncer de vejiga / Reactive arthritis after treatment with BCG for bladder cancer

La inmunoterapia con bacilo de Calmette -Guerin (BCG) intravesical es utilizada para tratamiento de cáncer de vejiga. La artritis posterior a esta terapia ha sido reportada como efecto secundario raro. Describimos el caso de un hombre de 73 años que desarrolló artritis en rodillas, tobillos e interfalángicas después de la aplicación de BCG intravesical

Reiter's syndrome associated with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: a case report.

The association of Reiter's Syndrome (RS) with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is seldom mentioned in the medical literature. This report illustrates this relationship in a 46 years old male patient suffering from AIDS (CD(4)(+) = 240 cells/mm(3), CD(8)(+) = 1,301 cells/mm(3) and viral load = 330,000 copies/ml), pulmonary tuberculosis (positive catarrhal bacilluscopy), and RS. The diagnosis of RS was based on the combination of dermatological and articular alterations. The patient s cutaneous lesions were characterized by exfoliation and the formation of crusts located on the face, scalp, genitals, hands, and feet; onychodystrophy with opacity; yellowish coloring; and hyperkeratosis of the nails. Articular lesions led to progressive deformity of phalangeal joints of the hands, and intensive arthralgia, mainly of the larger joints (shoulders, elbows, hips and knees). AIDS treatment was administered with anti-retroviral drugs (zidovudine and didanosine); for tuberculosis (isoniazid, rifampicine, and pyrazinamide); and (prednisone and inometacine) for the RS. The patient recovered with the improvement of articular symptoms; however, on the eighth day of treatment, the patient showed significant hemoptysis and hypovolemic shock, and died. The association of RS and HIV infection is reviewed.

Prevalencia de subtipos de HLA B 27 en espondiloartropatías en Argentina / Prevalence of subtypes of HLB B27 in spondyloarthropathies in Argentina

Objetivo: analizar la distribución de los diferentes alelos B 27 (B 27.01-B 27.11) del complejo mayor de histocompatibilidad (CMH) en la población sana y en un grupo de pacientes con Espondiloartropatías Seronegativas (EASN) HLA B27 +. Materiales y métodos: s estudiaron 1.000 muestras de sangre provenientes de individuos normales donantes de sangre de la población general y se los comparó con 55 pacientes con diagnóstico de EASN: 33 pacientes (60 por ciento) con Espondilitis Anquilastante (EA), 12 (21.8 por ciento) con Síndrome de Reiter (SR) y 10 (18.1 por ciento) con Artropatía Psoriásica (APs). Los pacientes con EA y SR estudiados con anterioridad pertenecían a un grupo B 27 +. Se utilizaron técnicas de biología molecular PCR-SSO y por medio de sondas específicas PAN-B 27 se analizó la frecuencia de los alelos B 27.01 al B 27.11. No fue evaluada la presencia del alelo B 27.12. Resultados: de los 1000 donantes de sangre de la población general, 4.2 por ciento (42 personas) fueron B 27 + (en relación con estudios serológicos previos que mostraban un 3.5 por ciento)... (AU)

Síndrome de Reiter: presentación de un caso / Reiter syndrome: a propos of a case

Se presenta el estudio de un paciente de 27 años diagnósticado en consulta multidisciplinaria de Oftalmología, Ortopedia y Medicina del Hospital Provincial Clínico Quirúrgico Docente "Celia Sánchez Manduley"; como un síndrome de Reiter o Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter, caracterizado por conjuntivitis, artritis y uretritis. Se hace una revisión actualizada de las alteraciones oculares del reiter y comparación con nuestros resultados. Proceso no común, con predilección por el sexo masculino y adultos jóvenes. La uretritis fue el signo genitourinario que estuvo presente. La conjuntivitis bilateral y uveitis anterior fueron los signos oculares que predominaron por más tiempo, asociadas a la artritis osteoartícular(AU)

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis in adults: long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSReA) is a recognized inflammatory articular syndrome that follows group A streptococcal infection in persons not fulfilling the Jones criteria for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever. Characteristic features include nonmigratory arthritis, lack of response to aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and the presence of extra-articular manifestations, including vasculitis and glomerulonephritis. Whether or not patients with PSReA develop carditis is a point of contention. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical features, laboratory findings, response to therapy, and outcome in patients diagnosed with PSReA between 1983 and 1998 and observed through April 2000. All patients were contacted, reexamined, and repeat antistreptolysin, rheumatoid factor, C3 and C4 complement components, and echocardiograms were performed. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (4 men and 13 women) were included. All were of low socioeconomic status. All patients had acute severe arthritis that began shortly after a sore throat episode. Extra-articular involvement including tenosynovitis, vasculitis, and glomerulonephritis was relatively common. More importantly, none exhibited clinical and/or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac involvement. Longterm antibiotic therapy was not given. CONCLUSION: Cardiac involvement did not occur in this group of patients with PSReA. Prolonged prophylactic antibiotic therapy may not be required for adult patients presenting with PSReA.

[Reiter's syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus infection]. / Síndrome de Reiter e infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana.

The increase of rheumatic disorders in HIV infected has been known for the last decade with special emphasis on Reiter's Syndrome. In spite of common sources of HIV and other microorganisms being important in the pathogenesis of Reiter's Syndrome, severe immunodeficiency may be important in the development of rheumatic diseases, mainly because of the presence of arthritogenic microorganisms. The decrease of TCD4 lymphocytes, the increase of TCD8 lymphocytes and the modification of immune regulation may be important in the pathogenesis of Reiter's Syndrome in patients infected by HIV. There is no clinical response to nonhormonal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of this entity.

Uveítes anteriores näo granulomatosas, espondiloartropatias e HLA-B27 / Non granulomatous anterior uveitis, spondyloarthropathies and human leukocyte antigens - B27 (HLA-B27)

Com o objetivo de estudar os portadores de uveítes anterioes näo granulomatosas, suas relaçöes com as espondiloartropatias e com os antígenos leucocitários humanos - B27 (HLA-B27), foi elaborado o presente estudo numa populaçäo de 100 pacientes com a oftalmopatia. Dentre eles, 38 apresentaram uma patologia do grupo das espondiloartropatias como doença de base: Espondilite anquilosante (11 pacientes), Sindrome de Reiter (5 pacientes), Artrite psoriásica (1 paciente), Espondiloartropatia indiferenciada (15 pacientes) e Espondiloartropatia "inter-relacionada" (6 pacientes). Dos 100 pacientes avaliados, a pesquisa do HLA-B27 foi positiva em 26 (26 por cento) ocorrendo em 10 (16,1 por cento) dentre os 62 pacientes que näo apresentaram espondiloartropatia e em 16 (42,1 por cento) dos 38 enfermos que mostraram uma espondiloartropatia como doença de base. Assim, um portador de uveíte anterior näo granulomatosa e do antigeno HLA-B27 tem 3,8 vezez mais chances de cursar com uma espondiloartropatia do que um indivíduo cujo HLA-B27 é negativo (p<0,05). A comparaçäo de grupos de pacientes com uveíte anterior näo granulomatosa caracterizados pela presença ou ausência de espondiloartropatias e pela positividade ou negatividade para o HLA-B27, levou às seguintes conclusöes: a) os homens teem 4,7 vezez mais chances de apresentar positividade para o HLA-B27 do que as mulheres (p=0,003); b) os pacientes do sexo masculino portadores do HLA-B27 têm 8,4 vezes mais chances de portar uma espondiloartropatia do que os pacientes do sexo feminino (p=0,02); c) independentemente da positividade do HLA-B27, os homens têm 3,1 vezes mais chances de desenvolver uma espondiloartropatia do que as mulheres (p=0,01); d) näo se observou associaçäo entre a cor do paciente e a positividade do HLA-B27, independente da presença ou ausência de espondiloartropatia; e) caracteristicamente a uveíte anterior associada ao HLA-B27, independente da presença ou ausência de espondiloartropatia; e) caracteristicamente a uveíte anterior associada ao HLA-B27, independente da presença ou ausência de espondiloartropatia, é unilateral ou unilateral alternante (p<0,05); f) näo há associaçäo entre recorrência da uveíte e positividade para o HLA-B27, independente da presença ou ausência de espondiloartropatia. Dentre os 100 pacientes com uveíte anterior, em 37 deles houve evoluçäo para a forma crônica de uveíte...

El ecocardiograma en la evaluacion del compromiso cardíaco en las espondiloartropatias seronegativas / Echocardiography in the evaluation of cardiac involvement in seronegative spondylo-arthropathies

Se estudió compromiso cardíaco en pacientes con espondiloartropatías seronegativas utilizando la ecodopplercardiografía. De los 35 pacientes, 20 eran portadores de espondilitis anquilosantes, 10 de síndrome de Reiter y 5 presentaban artritis psoriásica. Se estudiaron 21 hombres y 14 mujeres de entre 17 y 68 años. La mayoría (65,71 por ceinto) no presentaba sintomatología cardíaca y 12 (34, 29 por ciento) eran oligosintomáticos. El sintoma predominante era palpitaciones. Todos fueron sometidos a un estudo ecodoppler y electrocardiográfico. El ecocardiograma mostró alteraciones en 19 pacientes (54, 29 por ciento), de ellos, el 28,50 por ciento era asintomáticos y el 25,71 por ciento presentaba síntomas cardiovasculares. El examen bidimensional fue el que detectó mayor número de alteraciones (17/19-84,47 por ciento), en tanto que el Doppler pulsado detectó 10 de los 19 (52,63 por ceinto) y unidimensional (9/19-47,36 por ciento). La válvula aórtica estaba comprometida en 10 pacientes (28,58 por ciento) de los que 7 tenían engrosamiento y 3 calcificación; la válvula mitral mostraba alteraciones en 11 enfermos (57,89 por ciento), engrosamientos en 9, calcificación en 1 y prolapso en 2. No se observaron alteraciones en las válvulas tricúspide y pulmonar. El Doppler pulsado detectó 4 insuficiencias aórticas y 3 mitrales. El compromiso valvular aórtico estaba presente en 8 (40 por ciento) de los pacientes con espondilitis anquilosante. El examen electrocardiográfico presentó una bradicardia sinusal, un bloqueo aurículo-ventricular de 1er grado, un bloqueo de rama derecha y 19 casos con ATc prolongado. El ecocardiograma demostró ser un método no invasivo de gran utilidad para revelar alteraciones cardíacas en los pacientes con espondiloartropatías seropnegativas

El ecocardiograma en la evaluacion del compromiso cardíaco en las espondiloartropatias seronegativas / Echocardiography in the evaluation of cardiac involvement in seronegative spondylo-arthropathies

Se estudió compromiso cardíaco en pacientes con espondiloartropatías seronegativas utilizando la ecodopplercardiografía. De los 35 pacientes, 20 eran portadores de espondilitis anquilosantes, 10 de síndrome de Reiter y 5 presentaban artritis psoriásica. Se estudiaron 21 hombres y 14 mujeres de entre 17 y 68 años. La mayoría (65,71 por ceinto) no presentaba sintomatología cardíaca y 12 (34, 29 por ciento) eran oligosintomáticos. El sintoma predominante era palpitaciones. Todos fueron sometidos a un estudo ecodoppler y electrocardiográfico. El ecocardiograma mostró alteraciones en 19 pacientes (54, 29 por ciento), de ellos, el 28,50 por ciento era asintomáticos y el 25,71 por ciento presentaba síntomas cardiovasculares. El examen bidimensional fue el que detectó mayor número de alteraciones (17/19-84,47 por ciento), en tanto que el Doppler pulsado detectó 10 de los 19 (52,63 por ceinto) y unidimensional (9/19-47,36 por ciento). La válvula aórtica estaba comprometida en 10 pacientes (28,58 por ciento) de los que 7 tenían engrosamiento y 3 calcificación; la válvula mitral mostraba alteraciones en 11 enfermos (57,89 por ciento), engrosamientos en 9, calcificación en 1 y prolapso en 2. No se observaron alteraciones en las válvulas tricúspide y pulmonar. El Doppler pulsado detectó 4 insuficiencias aórticas y 3 mitrales. El compromiso valvular aórtico estaba presente en 8 (40 por ciento) de los pacientes con espondilitis anquilosante. El examen electrocardiográfico presentó una bradicardia sinusal, un bloqueo aurículo-ventricular de 1er grado, un bloqueo de rama derecha y 19 casos con ATc prolongado. El ecocardiograma demostró ser un método no invasivo de gran utilidad para revelar alteraciones cardíacas en los pacientes con espondiloartropatías seropnegativas (AU)

Síndrome da pseudotromboflebite na síndrome de Reiter / Pseudothrombophlebitis syndrome in Reiter's syndrome

Apesar de há muitos anos reconhecida, a síndrome da pseudotromboflebite apresenta dificuldades diagnósticas, sendo, muitas vezes, clinicamente indistinguível da verdadeira tromboflebite. O autor descreve um caso de rotura recidivante de cisto de Baker, levando a síndrome da pseudotromboflebite, em uma paciente com síndrome de Reiter. Discute aspectos atuais com relaçäo ao diagnóstico e tratamento. Conclui que esta síndrome deve ser lembrada naqueles pacientes com quadro clínico de tromboflebite de membro inferior e artropatia de joelho

[Pseudothrombophlebitis syndrome in Reiter's syndrome]. / Síndrome da pseudotromboflebite na síndrome de Reiter.

Although the pseudothrombophlebitis syndrome has been studied for a long time it still presents some difficulties to be diagnosed and we can not distinguish it from real thrombophlebitis only by clinical methods. The author presents a Reiter's syndrome patient with recurrent Baker's cyst rupture that develops into pseudothrombophlebitis and discusses some aspects related to this diagnosis and treatment. He calls the attention to this diagnosis mainly in those patients presenting clinical signs of thromboplebitis of the inferior member and knee arthropathy.