Serum Protein Changes in Caplan's Syndrome by J

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Serum Protein Changes in Caplan's Syndrome by J Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.21.2.135 on 1 June 1962. Downloaded from Ann. rheum. Dis. (1962), 21, 135. SERUM PROTEIN CHANGES IN CAPLAN'S SYNDROME BY J. A. L. GORRINGE* From the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, Glam. Since Caplan first described characteristic multiple, Johnston, Stradling, and Abdel-Wahab (1956> discrete, round opacities in the lungs of miners with indicated that tuberculosis caused quite consistent rheumatoid arthritis (Caplan, 1953), numerous changes in serum proteins, namely increased cx,- attempts have been made to determine the aetiology and y-globulins and reduced albumin. That similar- of these lesions. The association of the character- changes occur in coal-workers' pneumoconiosis and istic radiological opacities with rheumatoid arthritis silicosis associated with tuberculosis was confirmed (R.A.) was confirmed in the epidemiological studies by Christiaens, Balgairies, Claeys, and Lenoir (I954), of Miall, Caplan, Cochrane, Kilpatrick, and and by Rosenkranz (1957) respectively. Shaw Oldham (1953), and of Miall (1955), and in the (1956) claimed that especially large increases in latter a hereditary factor was clearly shown to be X2-globulin occurred in the presence of tuberculous implicated in the development of both "Caplan" pleural effusion, and Prignot (1956) stated that lesions and rheumatoid arthritis. The same factor a2-globulin reached its highest level in miners when seemed also to predispose to tuberculosis. cavitation of P.M.F. occurred. As the pulmonary Gough, Rivers, and Seal (1955), reporting on the component of Caplan's syndrome is an active pathology in sixteen cases of the syndrome coming and rapidly progressive one compared with P.M.F., to biopsy or autopsy, found evidence of past or giving rise to cavitation earlier and more often present tuberculosis in about 40 per cent., which is (Caplan, 1959) and being not infrequently associated copyright. a similar incidence to that found at autopsy in cases with pleurisy and pleural effusion, it seemed reason- of orthodox progressive massive fibrosis (P.M.F.) able to look for serum protein changes resembling (Rivers, James, Davies, and Thomson, 1957), but those found in tuberculosis. they described also areas of inflammation in some It was realized that rheumatoid arthritis itself lesions which did not resemble tuberculosis and causes serum protein changes very similar to those which are not found in P.M.F. The inflammation described in tuberculosis (Ropes, Perlmann, Kauf- was tentatively identified as the "rheumatoid man, and Bauer, 1954; Kuhns and Crittenden, 1955), component". but it was hoped that the effect of the pulmonary http://ard.bmj.com/ The identification of a-E-diaminopimelic acid disease would be large enough to be detected in spite (D.A.P.) in lesions showing no histological or of this. An investigation was therefore undertaken bacteriological evidence of tuberculosis (Consden of the serum proteins of patients with Caplan's and Glynn, 1955; Consden and Howard, 1957) was syndrome and to these were added for comparison interpreted as indicating that mycobacteria had at a small group of patients having characteristic lung one time been present, though this amino-acid lesions without arthritis and, at the other end of the could have been derived from a variety of other scale, a small group of miners with rheumatoid on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected micro-organisms. Nethercott and Strawbridge, as arthritis who, in spite of significant dust exposure, an extension of their work with sarcoidosis (1956), had no radiological evidence of nodular pulmonary claimed to have identified mycolic acid in Caplan lesions. lesions (personal communication). This would Of fifty men admitted to the trial, five were later have greatly strengthened the tuberculous theory of excluded, two because of other diseases likely to their aetiology, but the identification of mycolic affect the serum proteins, two because of doubt as acid was disputed by Consden (1957) and Berg to the nature of lung lesions on the basis of which (1957). they were at first included, and one because of The investigation now reported was an attempt to doubt as to the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. approach the problem of the aetiology of Caplan As a new electrophoretic technique was to be used lesions from a different angle. The work of Seibert, (Gorringe, 1957), a group of twelve normal subjects Seibert, Atno, and Campbell (1947), and of Gilliland, was also studied to provide evidence as to the values to be expected for the various protein fractions in * Present appointment: Director of Clinical Investigation, Parke Davis and Co., Staines Road, Hounslow, Middlesex. healthy individuals. 135 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.21.2.135 on 1 June 1962. Downloaded from 136 ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES Method of Investigation gravity method (Phillips, Van Slyke, Dole, Emerson, The patients were investigated in the following seven Hamilton, and Archibald, 1944, 1945), but there seemed ways: no object in expressing protein fractions in absolute (1) Industrial history to establish exposure to a real concentrations since this practice tends to obscure dust hazard. differences by making all the values numerically small. (2) Medical history, including family history. No relationship was found between total protein values (3) Clinical examination. and severity of disease so that the percentage values havrz (4) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm. in 1 hr the same validity as the absolute values. Westergren). (5) Sheep Cell Agglutination Test (S.C.A.T.) by the Diagnosis and Grading method of Ball (1950). (6) Serum electrophoresis by the method previously (A) Rheumatoid Arthritis described (Gorringe, 1957). (7) Postero-anterior chest x ray supplemented by In order to include mild and inactive cases of lateral x rays and tomograms when thought R.A. in the study, the strict diagnostic criteria of necessary. Miall (1955) and of Kellgren and Lawrence (1956) The first four investigations were done on the same had to be relaxed to some extent, but all except day in every case and blood for electrophoresis and two of the more severe cases (Grade 2 and above: S.C.A.T. was obtained at the same time. The serum see below) had two or more of their three criteria- was separated and stored, frozen solid, until required. history of characteristic polyarthritis plus character- Chest x rays of all out-patients were taken on the same istic radiological joint changes and/or a positive day and those of in-patients on admission. The remain- sheep cell agglutination test (S.C.A.T.). It was felt ing investigations of the in-patients were usually done in several days later. that the clinical diagnosis was sufficiently certain Haematological investigations were performed on all the case of the two exceptions to justify their in-patients, but on out-patients only when there was inclusion. clinical evidence of anaemia. Joints were x-rayed in the Clinical diagnosis was based on: majority of cases, but the x rays were used in diagnosis (1) A history of past or present polyarthritiscopyright. only when other investigations left this in doubt. with morning stiffness, pain in and/or The stained electrophoresis strips, when dry, were swelling of joints affected; rendered translucent with the clearing fluid described by (2) The examination of all joints, especially Rees and Laurence (1955) and scanned in a recording densitometer (Laurence, 1954), using a compound filter those of the hands and feet for tenderness, consisting of one thickness of Ilford No. 205 gelatin and limitation of movement, crepitus, swelling, one thickness of Chance heat-resisting glass. The redness, heat, effusions, muscle wasting, and clearing fluid was then removed by washing the strip in deformity; three changes of ether. The trace produced was used (3) Examination of the skin for palmarhttp://ard.bmj.com/ as a template for dividing the stained strip reproducibly erythema, hyperhydrosis, pigmentation, into five segments corresponding to the five protein rheumatoid nodules, psoriasis, or other skin fractions. This was done by completing the curves, disease; dropping perpendiculars through the points of inter- (4) Examination for enlargement of liver, section on to the baseline, and then transferring these and lymph nodes. lines on to the stained strip, which was positioned over the spleen, trace by means of a pencil line drawn on the strip beyond All patients in whom R.A. was diagnosed were the albumin band before scanning and so represented on first graded as Active or Inactive (the latter are the trace by a sharp peak (Fig. 1, opposite). Each subsequently designated "R" for "Remission"). on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected stained strip was then divided longitudinally into equal Remission was inferred when a patient had not halves by another pencil line and cut up into ten segments. more than one sign or symptom in each of the The five segments in each half paper corresponding to following groups: the five protein fractions were eluted separately and 1. Joints estimated in a spectrophotometer at 640 m[i. The two Group sets of optical densities obtained were compared and, if Morning stiffness of one or more joints. compatible, added together. The value for each fraction Pain and/or tenderness in one or more joints. was then expressed as a percentage of the total. The Swelling of one or more joints. object of eluting each paper in two halves was two-fold; Functional disability not attributable to in the first place it was necessary to keep the highest residual deformity. optical density within the accurate range of the spectro- photometer. This could have been achieved by using Group 2. Systemic twice the quantity of eluting fluid or thinner cuvettes, Rheumatoid nodules. but it was felt that duplicate estimations would con- Abnormal fatigue and lassitude. stitute a useful check against gross error. Hyperhydrosis. Total protein estimations were done by the specific Palmar erythema.
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