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Arthritis – Nervous System and Nerve Growth Factors Have a Major Role

June 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

In an experimental study conducted in arthritic rats, the researchers at McGill university, Canada have found that the nervous system and nerve-growth factor (NGF) play a major role in arthritis.

The study by Longo and colleaguse has been published by Journal of Neuroscience. online on June 12,2013.

Adequate treatments for arthritis are yet to come and existing therapies are not without serious side effect. An effective treatment can be developed only when the process of arthritis is well understood.

Present study determined the importance of nervous system and nerve-growth factor in pain behavior of arthritis.

The findings also support the idea that reducing elevated levels of NGF – a protein that promotes the growth and survival of nerves, but also causes pain may be an important strategy for developing treatment of arthritis pain.

The researchers  examined inflammatory arthritis in the ankle joint of rats to look for  changes in the nerves and tissues around the arthritic joint.

They did this  by using specific markers to label the different types of nerve fibres and allow them to be visualized with a fluorescence microscope.

Normally, sympathetic nerve fibers regulate blood flow in blood vessels. Following the onset of arthritis in the rats, however, these fibers began to sprout into the inflamed skin over the joint and wrap around the pain-sensing nerve fibers instead. More sympathetic fibers were detected in the arthritic joint tissues, as well.

The results also showed a higher level in the inflamed skin of nerve growth factor

The researchers also found that on blocking fibers’ function, a reduction in pain was noticed.

Drugs that aim at preventing the production of elevated levels of NGF in arthritic rats may help in treatment of the condition.

Source

  1. Study points to role of nervous system in arthritis, McGill Press Newsroom.
  2. G. Longo, M. Osikowicz, A. Ribeiro-da-Silva. Sympathetic Fiber Sprouting in Inflamed Joints and Adjacent Skin Contributes to Pain-Related Behavior in Arthritis. Journal of Neuroscience, 2013; 33 (24): 10066
    DOI:10.1523/%u200BJNEUROSCI.5784-12.2013, Abstract
Filed Under: Arthritis, News, Pain Management Tagged With: , , , ,

What Is Chondrocalcinosis?

December 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Chondrocalcinosis is another name for Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease, a rheumatologic disorder with varied clinical manifestations due to precipitation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in the connective tissues.

Its alternative names specify clinical or radiographic findings.

Pseudogout refers to the clinically evident acute synovitis with red, tender, and swollen joints that may resemble arthritis of gout.chondrocalcinosis

Chondrocalcinosis, refers to the radiographic evidence of calcification in hyaline and/or fibrocartilage.
It is also called Pyrophosphate arthropathy. The knee joint is the most commonly affected.

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Pool Hydrotherapy in Musculoskeletal Pain Management

March 22, 2009 by 1 Comment

In hydrotherapy, water is used as a therapeutic measure. Already ice water therapy has been discussed. The pool therapy is one wherein patients are mobilized to do activities in warm swimming pool.

This warmth of water reduces pain and relaxes muscle spasm. Water with its buoyancy counteracts gravity, provides support and relieves weight bearing in degenerated joints or unstable joints.

Pool therapy is indicated in

Indications

  • Degenerative arthritis
  • Neurological disorders-hemiplegia, paraplegia

Contraindications

  • Infection
  • Haemodynamically unstable patients
  • Major systemic illness
  • Tracheostomy
  • Vertigo, epilepsy
  • Others
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Complications of Fractures of Proximal Humerus

December 27, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Complications in fractures of proximal humerus are more likely after surgical than after nonoperative fracture care. Therefore a careful postoperative follow-up is necessary to note the complication at the earliest and intervene at the right time

Most common complications associated with fractures of proximal humerus are- [Read more...]

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Syphilis of Joints

April 14, 2008 by 1 Comment

Syphilis as an aetiological factor in arthritis is probably commoner than is generally believed. Antisyphilitic treatment is clearly indicated in all cases of syphilitic arthritis, but the response-unless in the early stages of the disease, both in the inherited and acquired forms-is in the main not encouraging.

Diagnosis is materially assisted by concomitant signs or symptoms of syphilis and blood serological and cerebrospinal fluid tests. The latter are invariably positive in the early stages but are not so reliable in late syphilitic lesions, being positive in only about 50 percent of these cases.

It need hardly be stressed that a negative blood serological tests does not exclude syphilis as the cause of the arthritis. Syphilis of the joints may occur at all stages of the disease and in both the inherited and acquired forms. [Read more...]

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Psoriatic Arthritis-Laboratory Findings, Diagnosis and Treatment

March 17, 2008 by 1 Comment

In Psoriatic arthritis, there are few laboratory abnormalities. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates, C-reactive proteins and complement levels reflect inflammation. Rheumatoid factors are uncommon and are more likely to be observed in those with symmetric arthritis. Immunoglobulin levels, especially IgA levels, may be elevated.

Uric acid levels may be elevated; sodium urate crystals in joint fluids suggest gout.

Radiologic investigation reveals findings similar to those of rheumatoid arthritis, soft tissue swelling, loss of the cartilage space, erosions, bony ankylosis of fingers, subluxations, and subchondral cysts. There is less demineralization.

Following features if present are suggestive of psoriatic arthritis

  • Erosions at DIP joints
  • Expansions and cuplike erosions of and bony proliferation of the distal terminal phalanx
  • Proliferation of bone near osseoperiostitis, and telescoping of one bone into its neighbor [Read more...]
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Psoriatic Arthritis-Symptoms and Presentation

March 17, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Psoriatic arthritis is chronic inflammatory arthritis that affects 5 to 42 percent of people with psoriasis.As of now, the cause and pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis are unknown. There are indirect evidence that infections, trauma, increased cellular immunity to streptococci, decreased suppressor cell activation, immune complexes, complement activation, adhesion molecules, dendritic cells, keratinocytes, and abnormal fibroblast and polyamorphonuclear leukocyte function may play a role. [Read more...]

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Viral Arthritis

March 16, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Viruses produce arthritis by infecting synovial tissue during systemic infection or by provoking an immunologic reaction that involves joints. As many as 50 percent of women report persistent arthralgias and 10 percent frank arthritis within 3 days of the rash that follows natural infection with rubella virus and within 2 to 6 weeks after receipt of live virus vaccine.

Episodes of symmetric inflammation of fingers, wrists, and knees uncommonly recur for longer than a year, but a syndrome of chronic fatigue, low-grade fever, headaches, and myalgias can persist for months or years. [Read more...]

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Fungal Arthritis

March 15, 2008 by 1 Comment

Fungi are an unusual and rare cause of chronic monarticular arthritis. Granulomatous articular infection with the endemic dimorphic fungi Coccidioides immitis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and  Histoplasma capsulatum results from hematogenous seeding or direct extension from bony lesions in persons with disseminated disease.

A normal person is quite resistant to fungal infection. Fungal infection occurs when immunity of the person is low due to some reason [Read more...]

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Tubercular Arthritis

March 15, 2008 by 8 Comments

Tuberculous arthritis accounts for about 1 percent of all cases of tuberculosis and for 10 percent of extrapulmonary cases. The most common presentation is chronic granulomatous monarthritis. An unusual syndrome, Poncet’s disease, is a reactive symmetric form of polyarthritis that affects persons with visceral or disseminated tuberculosis.

No mycobacteria are found in the joints, and symptoms resolve with antituberculous therapy. [Read more...]

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