Synovial fluid hyaluronate in rheumatoid arthritis

By several analytic methods, the hyaluronate hexosamine concentration of synovial fluid was found low in the joint effusions of rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to normal synovial fluid. An increase in nonhyaluronate hexosamine was observed in rheumatoid synovial fluid of increased volume. Relative viscosity measurements after equilibrating hexosamine Concentration by dilution revealed few differences between rheumatoid and normal fluid.