Electron and light microscopical observations and serological findings in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Electron and light microscopical and serological observations are described in 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in 13 patients suffering from other joint lesions, and in 3 patients with silastic implants. Dissociation of the sera from rheumatoid patients revealed more sera with detectable antinuclear antibodies, compared with the routine antinuclear antibodies determination. The value of the test for antiperinuclear factors in the serum for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is stressed. The light microscopy was performed using the 6 criteria of Lindner. In certain cells with a histiocytic cell like morphology, electron microscopy showed flattened comma shaped structures. These cells were found not only in rheumatoid synovial tissue, but also in reaction tissue developed after the implantation of silastic material. So called tubular structures were found in some endothelial cells of only 1 patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The nature and possible significance of the comma shaped and tubular structures are unknown.