Relationship between Synovial Fluid Inflammatory Cells and Grade of Inflammation of Synovium in Patients with Spondylarthropathy

Objective To study whether the analysis of synovial fluid (SF) inflammatory cells can be used for the estimation of the grade of inflammation in the synovium and, therefore, for the prediction of the possible development of joint destruction in spondylarthropathy. Methods Forty-one patients with spondylarthropathy and hydropsy in a knee joint were studied. The cellular composition of SF aspirates was investigated and the grade of inflammation in synovial biopsy samples was evaluated by analyzing histological needle biopsy specimens. Results The count of SF polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) reflected significantly the activity of acute inflammation. None of the SF cells reflected the chronic inflammation in the synovium. Conclusion The number of SF PMNs may reflect the severity of acute inflammatory process in the synovium in patients with spodylarthropathy at a given moment, but the analysis of SF aspirates may not be of use in estimating the activity of chronic phase of inflammation presumably causing the joint destruction

Fatal Myocardial Necrosis Caused by Staphylococcus lugdunensis and Cytomegalovirus in a Patient with Scleroderma

A 42-year-old woman developed a rapidly progressing fatal heart failure. At the autopsy extensive necrosis of the myocardium was seen, with an almost complete absence of inflammatory cells and the presence of bacterial structures identified as Staphylococcus lugdunensis by PCR. In addition, the cytomegalovirus genome was found to be located inside the cardiomyocytes