Effects of Antirheumatic Drugs on the Resorption of I¹³¹-Labeled Albumin from the Synovial Fluid: Preliminary Report

SummaryThe authors give a preliminary report about experiments with protein fractions (albumin in this paper) labeled with a radioactive isotope (I[131), in the study of the permeability of the synovialis. They point out that previous attempts with certain ions (sodium and iodine) or dyes will probably not reflect the permeability changes for protein fractions.In this study the disappearance rate of labeled albumin from the knee joint cavity did not depend on the duration of the effusion and was not related to the clinical severity of the rheumatic illness. In different patients the synovial permeability for albumin was rather similar. Hydrocortisone in not too small doses tends to increase the synovial permeability for albumin.