Significance of antikeratin antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.

Antikeratin antibodies (AKA) were found in the sera of 59% (121/204) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There was a significantly higher incidence of AKA (73%) in male patients compared with females (53%) and a correlation between AKA positivity and IgM rheumatoid factor was found. Antibody reactivity was positively associated with the presence of nodules, antinuclear antibody, C-reactive protein and disease severity. AKA would appear to have possible prognostic significance in patients with RA.

Prolonged low-dose corticosteroid therapy and osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Thirty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis maintained on prednisolone 5 mg daily for an average period of 9.4 years were assessed radiologically to determine the degree of osteoporosis in their spine and peripheral skeleton. They were compared with a control group of 32 rheumatoid patients who had never received corticosteroids. The steroid-treated patients had more severe osteoporosis than the controls, though the difference was not statistically significant. In the female patients the spine appeared to be more sensitive than the peripheral skeleton to the osteoporotic effect of corticosteroids.

Familial calcific periarthritis.

A family of 4 is described in which both children had calcific periarthritis affecting the shoulders, and the mother had radiological evidence of periarticular calcification near the left greater trochanter.