30 mm Hg) was diagnosed with Doppler echocardiography in 28 patients with SSc.Twenty patients have isolated PHT,while 8 patients were of secondary PHT which was due to severe pulmonary fibrosis.The levels of albumin, ? globulin ,IgA,IgG and CRP in serum of patients with PHT were significantly higher than those without PHT ( P

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of autoantibodies to cell membrane associated with DNA (mDNA) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the combination with other autoantibodies in the diagnosis of SLE. Method The anti-mDNA antibody had the characteristic pattern of perip-heral membrane fluorescence on cultured HL60. The same serum samples were detected for other antibo-dies of SLE. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results This pattern was observed in 145 of 205 serum samples of SLE patients , but in 5 of 55 the serum samples of rheumatoid arthritis , in 10 of 45 primary Sjogren syndrome's patients and in 4 of 35 PM/DM and absent in 50 blood donors. The sensitivity and specificity of anti-mDNA antibody to SLE was 70.7% and 86.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and ANA was 94.6% and 76.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-dsDNA antibody was 76.8% and 95.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody was 79.6% and 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and AnuA was 93.0% and 100%. Conclusion This novel rapid immunofluorescence method can be a useful diagnostic test for SLE patients. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, it is better than other diagnostic tests such as anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody for the diagnosis of SLE.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of Technetium 99m Tc methylenediphos-phonate injection (Yunke) and various combination therapy on rheumatoid arthritis.Methods All 137 patients enrolled in trial group.Among them 67 patients received Technetium 99m Tc methylenediphosphonate alone,42 patients received combination therapy with methotrexate and mobik and 28 patients received calcium orally meanwhile.Clinical manifestations and lab markers were observed carefully.Results The conditions of 67 patients receiving Technetium 99m Tc methylenediphosphonate alone were improved,42 patients received combination therapy had better effect and 28 patients in middle and old-age taking calcium orally simultaneously showed superiority in remission of rest pain and descent of ESR.Conclusion Technetium 99m Tc methylenediphosphonate is an effective and safe drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Results is suggest calcium be taken in the same time.

Objective To investigate the source of CD147 expressing cells in joint and its corelation with rheumatoid arthritis (RA),and to study the expression of CD147 on different cells of peripheral blood and joint fluid of RA patients and normal health controls.Methods The expression rate and intensity of CD147 on lymphocyte (CD3 +T),monocyte (CD14 + Mo) and neutrophils (N) of 10 active RA patients before and after treatment and 10 normal health controls′ peripheral blood and synovial fluid were studied by bicolor immunofluorescence flow cytometry.Results ① Compared with normal control,the expression intensity of CD147 on CD3 + T and CD14 + Mo were higher (P

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of low-dose herringtonine in lupus nephritis.Methods Harringtonine1mg,which was dissolved in500ml normal saline,was infused intravenously everyday for5to7days as a single course.The total therapeutic period was consisted of3to6courses.Each course was given every2to3weeks.12patients with lupus nephritis were treated in this study.Results Seven patients(58%)achieved complete clinical remission while5(42%)had partial clinical remission.The overall response rate was100%.Conclusion This study suggests that low-dose harringtonine is an effective therapeutic regimen for lupus nephritis with relatively low toxicity and low price.It has the potential to be used widely in treating lupus nephri-tis.

Objective To evaluate the effect of 99m Tc-MDP on clinical and laboratory parameters in rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods The study was a prospective open cohort design.Clinical manifestations were recorded accordingly before and after 99m Tc-MDP intravenous infusion.Serum CRP,IL-1?,TNF-?and ESR were also measured.Results At the end point,morning stiffness,strength,index of joint tenderness,swelling,rest pain and physician assessment were all improved significantly(P

Objective To investigate the expression of Fc?RⅡb on peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)and serum anti-C1q antibodies in SLE patients and their role in SLE pathogenesis.Methods The ex-pression of Fc?RⅡb on peripheral neutrophiles,lymphocytes and monocytes was detected by flowcytometry and the level of anti-C1q antibodies was tested by ELISA in32SLE patients and22healthy individials.At the same time,the correlation between Fc?RⅡb,anti-C1q antibodies and ANA,anti-dsDNA antibodies,SLEDAI was eval-uated respectively.Results The expression of Fc?RⅡb on peripheral neutrophiles,lymphocytes and monocytes(especially on neutrophiles and monocytes)of SLE patients decreased,the level of anti-C1q antibodies was signifi-cantly increased,compared with that of the control group.Fc?RⅡb was negatively and anti-C1q antibodies were positively associated with ANA,anti-dsDNA antibodies and SLEDAI respectively.Conclusion The defective ex-pression of Fc?RⅡb on PBMCs and high level of anti-C1q antibodies do exist in SLE patients.Fc?RⅡb and anti-C1q antibodies may decrease the clearance of immune complex and play an important role in the pathogene-sis of SLE.They may also be important parameters in indicating SLE activity.

0.05).There were no signifi-cant relation between the expressions of Fas,FasL and bcl-2and IL-8.Conclusion The abnormal expressions of Fas,FasL,bcl-2may play an important role in the pathogenesis of LN.The expression of Fas and FasL may serve as active indexes for SLE and LN.The low level of IL-8may be related to the dysfunction of immunity and needs further research.

Objectives To detect anti-basement membrane zone(BMZ)antibodies in systemic lupus ery-thematosus(SLE)patients and to explore its association with clinical manifestations.Methods Anti-BMZ anti-bodies were examined by indirect immunofluorescence in the sera of70patients with SLE.The correlation between anti-BMZ antibodies and clinical data of SLE was analyzed.Results Anti-BMZ antibodies could be found in the sera of about70%SLE patients,including IgG,IgM,IgA.They predominantly bound to the epidermis,but also bound to the dermis or both.The positive rate of anti-BMZ antibodies was significantly higher in patients with skin lesions than that of patients without skin lesions.There is no significant difference between the two groups in ac-tive and remission,kidney involvement,arthritis,alopecia,photoallergy,positive anti-dsDNA antibodies and the posi-tive rate of anti-BMZ antibodies.Conclusion Anti-BMZ antibodies presents in the sera of SLE patients with high positive rate.It is correlated with the development of skin lesions of SLE patients,but not with the activity of SLE,other clinical manifestations and anti-dsDNA antibodies.Anti-BMZ antibodies may be involved in the pathogenlic mechanism of the development of skin lesions in SLE patients.

Objective Previous study had shown that signal transduction was changed when Hela cells were transfected with HLA-B27gene.An increase of monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1)of Hela cells was observed.To determine the role of MCP in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis(AS),expression of MCP-1,2,3and4in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC),synovial fluid mononuclear cells(SFMC)and synovial tis-sues of AS patients were tested.Methods Gene expression profiles of PBMC from AS patients and healthy volun-teers were determined by cDNA microarray with1176target gene filter.The differentiated expressed gene MCP-1in PBMC,SFMC and synovial tissue of AS patients were confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.Results The gene expression profile of SFMC of AS patients was significantly different from those of PBMC from AS and PBMC from healthy volunteers.The MCP-1level was positively correlated with MCP-3(r=0.76,P=0.03).The expressions of MCP-1were higher in synovial tissues of AS than those of healthy volunteers(P=0.0035).MCP-1levels in monocytes of AS patients and control subjects were increased after LPS stimulation for4hours.Conclusions There is increased expression of MCP-1in SFMC and synovial tissue of AS patients.The results indicate that MCP-1may play a potential key role in the homing of cells migrating from blood to joint and in the pathogenesis of joint inflammation in AS patients.