Stereological analysis of the synovial membrane in rheumatic disorders: diagnostic value of volume-weighted mean nuclear volume estimation.
Quantitative evaluation of nuclear size of synoviocytes was performed on 48 synovial biopsies in various rheumatic disorders: osteoarthritis (n = 10), rheumatoid arthritis (11), and chronic non-specific synovitis (14). Thirteen tissue specimens from non-inflammatory synovial membrane were included as a control group. Using the point-sampled intercepts method, unbiased stereological estimates of volume-weighted mean nuclear volume (nuclear upsilon v) were obtained. A slight increase in nuclear volume was observed in osteoarthritis in comparison with the control group with an overlap in 90% of cases. However, in rheumatoid arthritis there was a significant increase of nuclear upsilon v. Significant differences were found between rheumatoid arthritis and the control and osteoarthritis groups (P < or = 0.001). In biopsies from patients diagnosed as chronic non-specific synovitis the averaged nuclear upsilon v values were between those in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with a wide range of data. Similar, but less significant differences were demonstrated between rheumatic disorders when using mean nuclear area. Further analysis of chronic non-specific synovitis patients in combination with nuclear upsilon v estimates as a simple, unbiased, complementary tool are required to better establish the diagnostic value of nuclear stereology in the diagnosis of rheumatic disorders.
Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Córdoba, Spain.
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E
Artacho-Pérula
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R
Roldán-Villalobos
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Collantes-Estévez
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López-Beltrán
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013585:Synovitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology