neuropeptide-y and Arthritis--Psoriatic

Twenty-two patients (29 joints) with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis of specific or unspecific nature were given one intra-articular glucocorticoid (GC) injection. The effect on subjective symptoms and clinical signs in the craniomandibular system and on joint aspirate concentration of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) was evaluated at follow-up visits 2-3 or 4-6 weeks after treatment. In the patients with specific inflammatory joint disease the treatment resulted in an improvement of symptoms and clinical signs and in a reduction in the TMJ level of NPY-LI 2-3 weeks after treatment. In the patients with unspecific inflammatory joint disease there was also an improvement in the clinical variables and a reduction in the NPY-LI level after 2-3 weeks, but not on a statistically significant level. The results of this study show that intra-articular GC treatment causes a short-term decrease of the TMJ fluid level of NPY-LI in patients with specific inflammatory joint disease, while symptoms and signs improve.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Injections, Intra-Articular; Male; Methylprednisolone; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Pain Measurement; Pain Threshold; Punctures; Synovial Fluid; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Forty-one patients (37 female and four male) with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint arthritis, were separated into two diagnostic groups (group I: inflammatory; group II: degenerative/non-specific joint disease). They were examined clinically, fluid was aspirated from the joint with saline and venous blood samples were collected at the same time. The joint fluid and plasma samples were analysed for neuropeptide-like immunoreactivity, i.e. neuropeptide Y (NPY-LI), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-LI), substance P (SP-LI) and neurokinin A (NKA-LI), using competitive radioimmunoassays. The aim was to investigate any co-variation of the peptides in the joint fluid and plasma. In group I, the median values of peptide concentrations in joint fluid were SP-LI = 129, CGRP-LI = 75, NKA-LI = 36 and NPY-LI = 676 pmol/l and in group II, SP-LI = 52, CGRP-LI = 64, NKA-LI = 45 and NPY-LI = 318 pmol/l. There were no significant differences between the groups for peptide concentrations. In group I, all the neuropeptides were strongly correlated. In group II, SP-LI and NKA-LI were strongly correlated while CGRP-LI was weakly correlated with NPY-LI and NKA-LI. Multiple step-wise regression analysis showed that most of the variation in NPY-LI, CGRP-LI and SP-LI in group I was explained by NKA-LI, but the regression did not reach statistical significance in group II.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arthritis; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurokinin A; Neuropeptide Y; Osteoarthritis; Regression Analysis; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Substance P; Synovial Fluid; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Arthritic temporomandibular joints were examined for the joint fluid content of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) and the intra-articular temperature at two separate sessions. Sixteen patients (23 joints) with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and unspecific polyarthritis or monarthritis were investigated in this study. The intra-articular temperature ranged between 35.6 and 37.5 degrees C. The concentration of NPY-LI ranged between 72.1 and 4466.0 pmol/l and was above the normal plasma level in all patients. The intra-articular temperature was negatively correlated with the joint fluid concentration of NPY-LI. Moreover, patients with low intra-articular temperature and high concentration of NPY-LI had a shorter duration of TMJ symptoms than those with high intra-articular temperature and low concentration of NPY-LI.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arthritis; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Body Temperature; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Synovial Fluid; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; Time Factors