title: Food intolerance in rheumatoid arthritis. II. Clinical and histological aspects.
abstract: Six patients with rheumatoid factor positive rheumatoid arthritis who had shown a marked symptomatic improvement during four weeks of hypoallergic, artificial diet were studied in greater detail. Placebo controlled rechallenges showed intolerance for specific foodstuffs in four patients. In three of these patients biopsies of both the synovial membrane and of the proximal small intestine were carried out before and during allergen free feeding. In two patients, both with raised serum IgE concentrations and specific IgE antibodies to certain foods, a marked reduction of mast cells in the synovial membrane and proximal small intestine was demonstrated. Although the number of food intolerant patients with RA remains limited and markers of allergic activity are scanty, our observations suggest an underlying immunoallergological mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Jan van Breemen Instituut and Academisch Medisch Centrum, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van de Laar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aalbers
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Bruins
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: van Dinther-Janssen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: van der Korst
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Meijer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E