Concise reports
Cartilage macromolecules in knee joint synovial fluid. Markers of
the disease course in patients with acute oligoarthritis
Department
of Rheumatology, Lund University Hospital, Sweden
Correspondence to: Dr E Lindqvist, Department of Rheumatology, Lund University Hospital, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Accepted for publication 24
September 1997
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the development of
chronic joint symptoms in patients presenting with acute oligoarthritis
including knee joint synovitis with effusion and explore whether
prognostic information can be derived from initial synovial fluid
concentrations of aggrecan and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein
(COMP) for development of chronic joint symptoms.
METHODSRetrospective follow up of 25 patients
identified in a bank of knee joint synovial fluids collected
consecutively from patients presenting with knee joint synovitis and
symptoms from at most three additional joints and in whom no diagnosis
could be established at presentation.
RESULTSThe 10 patients who developed chronic
joint symptoms were characterised by lower knee joint synovial fluid
concentrations of aggrecan as well as lower aggrecan/COMP ratios
(p<0.001) than the 15 patients who had a transient arthritis. No other
clinical or laboratory differences between the groups were apparent at the time of presentation.
CONCLUSIONSThe synovial fluid content of aggrecan
is a potential tool in acute arthritis for distinguishing patients with
a benign disease course from those who will develop a chronic joint disorder.
© 1997 by Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
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