Joint disease

In a proportion of patients systemic and extra-articular features may be observed during the course of the disease (and rarely prior to joint disease). These include anaemia, weight loss, vasculitis, serositis, nodules in subcutaneous, pulmonary and sclera tissues, mononeuritis multiplex, and interstitial inflammation in lungs as well as in exocrine salivary and lacrimal tissue. However, these systemic manifestations occur relatively late in the disease progression. 

The salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) are important in the treatment of arthritic conditions. For example, the salicylates and NSAIDs are used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic disease characterized by inflammatory changes within the body s connective tissue) and osteoarthritis (a noninflammatory joint disease resulting in degeneration of the articular cartilage and... 

Osteoarthritis is a noninflammatory degenerative joint disease marked by degeneration of the articular cartilage, changes in the synovial membrane, and hypertrophy of the bone at the margins. 

The efficient removal of O2 and H2O2 vvill diminish OH formation and therefore antioxidant defence systems have evolved to limit their accumulation. Enzymic and low molecular weight antioxidants exist to scavenge free radicals as self-protection mechanisms. Some proteins exhibit antioxidant properties because they chelate transition-metal catalysts. The significance of antioxidants in relation to inflammatory joint disease is discussed below. 

NF-xB (Section 2.3.6). Additionally, patients with RA have increased concentrations of MCP-1 in their serum and synovial fluid when compared to patients with noninflammatory degenerative joint disease (Koch et al., 1992). Macrophages in the RA synovial lining constitu-tively express MCP-1, unlike normal circulating monocytes. 

Fairburn, K., Grootveld, M., Ward, R.J., Abiuka, C., Kus, M., Williams, R.B., Winyard, P.G. and Blake, D.R. (1992). Tocopherol, lipids and lipoproteins in knee-joint synovial fluid and serum from patients with inflammatory joint disease. Clin. Sci. 83, 657-664. 

Hypertension x 12 years dyslipidemia x 10 years obesity x 20 years degenerative joint disease x 5 years recurrent urinary tract infections... 

CBD Common bile duct DJD Degenerative joint disease... 

Bruhl H, Wagner K, Kellner H, Schattenkirchner M., Schlondorff D, Mack M. Surface expression of CC- and CXC-chemokine receptors on leucocyte subsets in inflammatory joint diseases. Clin Exp Immunol 2001 126 551-559. 

Williams RO, Feldmann M, Maini RN. Anti-tumor necrosis factor ameliorates joint disease in murine collagen-induced arthritis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1992 89(20) 9784—9788. 

Joint disease (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout) Depression... 

Robinson, J. J., Watson, F., Bucknall, R. C., Edwards, S. W. (1992). Activation of neutrophil reactive-oxidant production by synovial fluid from patients with inflammatory joint disease Soluble and insoluble immunoglobulin aggregates activate different pathways in primed and unprimed cells. Biochem. J. 286,345-51. 

Giucosamine and chondroitin Effective against arthritis and other joint diseases... 

Roshak AK, CaUahan JF, Blake SM. Small-molecule inhibitors of NF-kB for the treatment of inflammatory joint disease. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2002 2 316-21. 

Barry FP. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in joint disease. Novartis Found Symp2002 249 S6-96 discussion 96-102, 170-104, 239-141. 

Incidence of fungal bone and joint disease is increasing with the increase in the prevalence of factors predisposing to fungal arthritis. These are the use of central venous catheters, broad-spectrum antibiotics, immunosuppresives and abdominal surgery. 

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