Synovial Fluid Changes in Joint Disease.

Abstract

This little monograph presents the authors' 20 years of experience with articular anatomy, physiology, and pathology. The book begins with a discussion of normal articular fluid. Much of the work presented was done on cattle, but the findings are apparently comparable to those in fluid recovered post mortem from human joints. The second chapter presents a general analysis of the variations that can occur in pathological states. The comprehensiveness of this section is reflected in its subheadings: pressure, amount and gross appearance of fluid, bacteriology, cytology, proteins, electrolytes, nonelectrolytes (including sugar, lactate, lipids, and cholesterol), enzymes, and mucin. On the basis of these studies, the authors divide abnormal joint fluids into two main groups: those characteristic of diseases of traumatic origin and those found in rheumatoid arthritis and diseases of infectious origin. In chapters 3 and 5 these two groups are discussed in detail and in relation to specific disease