title: Breath pentane excretion as a marker of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Activated inflammatory cells are capable of stimulating lipid peroxidation. In 27 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, we measured the pulmonary excretion of pentane, a product released during lipid peroxidation. We found highly significant correlations between pentane excretion and both joint inflammation (r = 0.88, p less than 0.001) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.80, p less than 0.001). Patients treated with gold compounds or D-penicillamine excreted diminished amounts of pentane. The data suggest that lipid peroxidation may be related in part to the mechanism of injury in rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Humad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zarling
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clapper
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Skosey
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D001944:Breath Tests; D006046:Gold / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010420:Pentanes / Q000032:analysis*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010420:Pentanes; C033353:pentane; D006046:Gold; D010396:Penicillamine; D011241:Prednisone