Objective To discuss the clinical significance of serum pyridinoline cross-linked carboxy-terminal telopeptide of typeⅠcollagen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Serum ⅠCTP was measured by ELISA and RF, CRP by immunonephelometry assay in 55 patients with active and 25 with stable RA as well as 52 age and sex-matched normal controls. Results SerumⅠCTP was positively correlated with RF and CRP (rs=0.407, 0.534, P0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of serumⅠCTP test were 67.3%, 84.6%, 75.7% in serum of the patients with active RA respectively. The mean serumⅠCTP in normal controls was (3.5?2.0) ?g/L. The serumⅠCTP was more sensitive than CRP in the patients with active RA. Conclusion SerumⅠCTP in patients of RA is a reliable assistant marker for early diagnosis, monitoring of the course and the effectiveness of treatment.

Objective To evaluate salivary gland function in primary Sjgren′s syndrome (pSS) objectively,and highly sensitive and significant indicators were chosen by correlative analyses of parameters of salivary gland scintigraphy with the histopathologic grading of labial biopsy in pSS.Methods Salivary gland scintigraphy was preformed using 99m TcO - 4 in 78 patients with pSS and 20 normal controls.Functional parameters of the parotid (Par) glands were calculated.The results of pSS groups were compared with normal controls.All patients with pSS underwent labial biopsy after imaging and Spearman rank correlation test was used for scintigraphy functional parameters and histopathologic grading.Results ① The maximum accumulation ratio (MAR) of Par gland significantly decreased with histopathologic grading increase ( r = -0 649, P