Lymphoid irradiation in intractable rheumatoid arthritis. Long-term followup of patients treated with 750 rads or 2,000 rads

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Arthritis Rheum.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/anr.1780320503· OSTI ID:6026171

Soden, M; Hassan, J; Scott, D L; Hanly, J G; Moriarty, M; Whelan, A; Feighery, C; Bresnihan, B

Twenty patients with intractable rheumatoid arthritis were randomized to receive 750 or 2,000 rads of lymphoid irradiation (LI) in a double-blind comparative study, and were followed for a maximum of 48 months (mean 40 months) after treatment. During followup, sustained immunomodulation (including lymphopenia, particularly of the T helper cell subset; reduced ratio of helper cells to suppressor cells; and impaired in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in response to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen) was observed. Significant improvements in early morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index, pain score, grip strength, and 15-meter walk time were observed in both treatment groups, but these were not sustained through the followup period. Progressive joint damage was observed radiologically in both groups during followup. Thus, LI induced sustained immunosuppression, but resulted in only short-lived clinical improvement and was associated with progressive joint erosion in these patients.

• Research Organization: Univ. College Dublin (Ireland)
• OSTI ID: 6026171
• Journal Information: Arthritis Rheum.; (United States), Vol. 32:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
RADIOINDUCTION
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
RADIATION DOSES
LYMPHOCYTES
CELL PROLIFERATION
RHEUMATIC DISEASES
RADIOTHERAPY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
MITOGENS
PATIENTS
PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ
AGGLUTININS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANTIBODIES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
DOSES
HEMAGGLUTININS
LEUKOCYTES
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
MUCOPROTEINS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PROTEINS
RADIOLOGY
SACCHARIDES
SKELETAL DISEASES
SOMATIC CELLS
THERAPY
550603* - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)