[Value of radiosynovectomy in rheumatology and orthopedics]

For many years radiosynovectomy has proved its worth in the treatment of inflammatory joint disease. More recently there has also been growing interest in the use of this method for outpatient treatment. In this overview we discuss the established and new indications. With increasing use of the method, interest should be focused on adequate quality control. Accordingly, basic requirements for correct performance of radiosynovectomy in clinical practice are addressed. Our results, based on five years' experience of radiosynovectomy in outpatients, have shown improvement of clinical symptoms in 60-70% of cases. However, success rates of this kind require high quality standards and close cooperation with the referring rheumatologists.

Radionuclide therapy

Nuclear medicine therapy uses unsealed radioactive sources for the selective delivery of radiation to tumours or target organs. For benign disorders such as thyrotoxicosis and arthritis radionuclide therapy provides an alternative to surgery or medical treatment. In cancer treatment, it often combines the advantage of target selectivity (like brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy) with that of being systemic, as with chemotherapy, and it may be used as part of a therapeutic strategy with curative intent or for disease control and palliation. Toxicity is generally limited to the haematopoietic tissue and few side-effects are observed. When cure is feasible, the long-term consequences of radionuclide therapy (eg, fertility disorders and leukaemia or other secondary cancers) do compare favourably with the risks associated with and accepted for chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Radiobiological mechanisms of anti-inflammatory radiotherapy

Radiotherapy with total doses of < or =6 Gy has been given as very effective and low risk treatment of painful degenerative joint diseases and other inflammatory processes. Recent radiobiological experiments in vitro and in vivo identified mechanisms which may be related to these anti-inflammatory radiation effects, in particular functional modulation of the adhesion of white blood cells to activated endothelial cells and modulation of the induction of nitric oxide synthase in activated macrophages.

[The effects of low-dose Co-60 irradiation on the course of aseptic arthritis in a rabbit knee joint]

PURPOSE

Numerous clinical observations demonstrate the efficacy of low radiation doses in the treatment of painful osteoarthritis. Experimental investigations remain scarce. We investigated the effects of locally daily 5 times 1.0 Gy 60-Co irradiation on an artificially induced aseptic gonarthritis in rabbits.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Three separate experiments (EV) were performed (10 rabbits per experiment, 5 treated/5 controls; duration: EV1: 18 days; EV2: 6 days; EV3: 29 days). An aseptic arthritis in the right knee joint of rabbits was induced by intraarticular injection of 0.5 ml papain solution (3%, 30,000 USP/mg) on day 0. The arthritic knee joint of the anesthesized animals was irradiated daily from day 1 to 5 with 5 times 1.0 Gy. The controls were sham-irradiated under the same conditions. The time course of arthritis in treated animals and sham-treated controls was evaluated by clinical, laboratory-chemical and histological criteria. The clinical investigation was performed daily, the puncture of the knee-joints was carried out several times in EV1, and at the end of experiments in EV2 and EV3. At the end of the observation period, animals were killed and the knee joints excised for histological analysis.

RESULTS

The intraarticular injection of papain caused a peracute inflammatory response in all animals. After 1 week the chronic stage was reached, and the experimental arthritis resolved slowly within several weeks. Local irradiation accelerated the decrease of inflammatory joint swelling, being significant by day 4. On day 6 the volume of synovial fluid in irradiated knee-joints was significantly smaller. The morphometric data indicated a reduction in thickness of synovial membrane, a decrease in number of synovial cell layers, and a decrease in distance between capillaries and the synovial membrane surface following irradiation of arthritic joints. Due to considerable individual variability, the morphometric data partially did not reach statistically significance.

CONCLUSION

The experiments provide evidence for an antiphlogistic effect of irradiation with 5 times 1.0 Gy in vivo. They support the clinical observations of the efficacy of anti-inflammatory radiotherapy.

[Low-level laser therapy in osteoarticular diseases in geriatric patients]

INTRODUCTION

Laser light absorption through the skin causes tissue changes, targeting the nervous, the lymphatic, the circulatory and the immune systems with an antalgic, anti-inflammatory, anti-edemic effect and stimulating tissue repair. Therefore low level laser therapy is now commonly used in numerous rehabilitation centers, including the "Istituto Gerontologico Pio Albergo Trivulzio", Milan, Italy. However, to activate the treatment program, the basic medical research results must always be considered to choose the best optical wavelength spectrum, technique and dose, for rehabilitative laser therapy. We analyzed the therapeutic effects of different wavelengths and powers in various treatment schedules. In particular, a protocol was designed to test such physical parameters as laser type, doses and individual schedule in different pathologic conditions. We report the results obtained with low level laser therapy in the rehabilitation of geriatric patients, considering the various physical and technical parameters used in our protocol.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We used the following laser equipment: an HeNe laser with 632.8 nm wavelength (Mectronic), a GaAs Laser with 904 nm wavelength (Mectronic) and a CO2 Laser with 10,600 nm wavelength (Etoile). To evaluate the patient clinical status, we use a different form for each involved joint; the laser beam is targeted on the region of interest and irradiation is carried out with the sweeping method or the points technique. Irradiation technique, doses and physical parameters (laser type, wavelength, session dose and number) are indicated on the form. The complete treatment cycle consists of 5 sessions per week--20 sessions in all. At the end of the treatment cycle, the results were scored on a 5-grade semiquantitative scale--excellent, good, fair, poor and no results. We examined 3 groups of patients affected with gonarthrosis (149 patients), lumbar arthrosis (117 patients), and algodystrophy (140 patients) respectively.

RESULTS

In gonarthrosis patients, the statistical analysis of the results showed no significant differences between CO2 laser and GaAs laser treatments (p = .975), but significant differences between CO2 laser and HeNe laser treatments (p = .02) and between GaAs laser and HeNe laser treatments (p = .003). In lumbar arthrosis patients treated with GaAs or HeNe laser, significant differences were found between the two laser treatments and the combined sweeping-points techniques appeared to have a positive trend relative to the sweeping method alone, especially in sciatic suffering. In the algodystrophy syndrome, in hemiplegic patients, significant differences were found between CO2 and HeNe laser treatments (p = .026), between high and low CO2 laser doses (p = .024), and between low CO2 laser dose and high HeNe laser dose (p = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

Low level laser therapy can be used to treat osteoarticular pain in geriatric patients. To optimize the results, the diagnostic picture must be correct and a treatment program defining the physical parameters used (wavelength, dose and irradiation technique) must also be designed.

A survey of radiation synovectomy in Europe, 1991-1993

The prevalence of radiation synovectomy practice is unknown. As new particulate radiopharmaceuticals offering many potential advantages are being developed, it seems prudent to appraise the extent, frequency and variation in radiation synovectomy practice. We have evaluated radiation synovectomy practice in Europe over the period 1991-1993 by means of a postal questionnaire. More than 2300 European members of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine were questioned about the number of treated patients and joints, disease prevalence in their patients and the use of radiopharmaceuticals. Overall, 119/490 (24%) of centres replying to the survey practised radiation synovectomy during the 3 years. There were 13,450 different joint injections in 8578 patients. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most prevalent disease in patients treated (71%) and the most frequently treated joints were knee (46%) and finger joints (20%). Eight different radiopharmaceuticals were employed. Yttrium-90 colloids were most frequently and widely (100/119 centres) used, mainly employed for knee synovectomy but were also used to treat most appendicular joints. Erbium-169 colloid was almost exclusively used to treat finger joints (31/33 centres). Corticosteroid was routinely co-injected in 36/60 (60%) centres. Radiation synovectomy was widely practised throughout Europe during 1991-1993. There are variations in practice illustrated by the diversity of treated arthritides and injected joints and by the use and application of different radiopharmaceuticals.

Second-line treatment in seronegative spondylarthropathies

The literature concerning second-line treatment of seronegative spondylarethropathies from 1940 to August 1993 was reviewed. Sulfasalazine appeared to be effective in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and promising in reactive arthritis (ReA) and Reiters' syndrome (RS). Methotrexate and azathioprine were associated with a remarkable improvement in some cases of AS and RS. Methylprednisolone and levamisole were both efficacious in AS, but levamisole was associated with occasional severe side effects. Radiation therapy led to short-term improvement in AS, but was abandoned because of severe long-term side effects. Only sulfasalazine has been studied in sufficient detail to allow definitive conclusions, but methotrexate and azathioprine may be promising drugs.

[Analgetic irradiation of degenerative-inflammatory skeletal diseases. Benefits and risks]

Between 1980 and 1991, ionizing radiation was applied for analgesic purposes to 181 patients (97 men, 84 women, mean age 54 [29-81] years) with degenerative-inflammatory skeletal disease. The long-term effects were evaluated by questionnaire. Radiation of 2.5 to 6.0 Gy achieved lasting pain relief in 21 of 30 patients (70%) with arthritis of the shoulder or humeroscapular periarthritis, 15 of 21 (71%) with arthritis of the hip, in 12 of 15 (80%) with heel spurs or Achilles tendon bursitis and 10 of 11 (91%) with epicondylitis. Pain relief lasted for longer than two years in 41 of the 77 patients (53%). There were no side effects at the stated dosage. According to dose measurements the theoretical risk of malignant tumour induction is 20-40/million radiated patients and thus four orders of magnitude below the spontaneous malignant tumour incidence rate. The genetic risk is even lower. Ionizing radiation of degenerative-inflammatory diseases is thus an effective form of treatment with few side effects.

Pulsed radio frequency therapy of experimentally induced arthritis in ponies

The effect of pulsed radio frequency therapy (PRFT) was evaluated on seven ponies with no arthritis and in 28 ponies in which arthritis was created using intra-articular amphotericin B to induce synovitis in the right middle carpal joint. The ponies were divided into five treatment and two control groups. Two levels of arthritis were created and two dosage levels of PRFT were evaluated. The effect of PRFT on arthritic and nonarthritic joints was measured by comparing synovial fluid parameters, the degree and duration of lameness, the range of carpal motion, and carpus circumference, for treated and untreated groups. Lesions seen radiographically, at gross pathology, and by histopathology were also compared between the treated and control groups. In the ponies with a mild form of induced arthritis, PRFT significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced the severity and duration of lameness, swelling of the carpus, and the severity of gross pathological and radiographic changes. In these ponies the synovial acid phosphatase levels were lower, the mucin clot quality was superior, and the synovial protein levels were lower for the ponies receiving PRFT as compared to the arthritic ponies receiving no treatment. A dose response effect was evident. In ponies with a slightly more severe form of arthritis, PRFT was evaluated at one dosage level. The treated ponies were significantly improved over the untreated ponies with respect to carpal range of motion, degree of lameness, carpus swelling, and radiographic lesions. No deleterious effects were noted when normal, PRFT treated, middle carpal joints were compared to contralateral untreated, normal joints. It was concluded that significant beneficial effects resulted when affected ponies were treated with PRFT.

[Problems and perspectives of radiotherapy of non-tumor diseases]

The experience of the world leading hospitals confirms the high efficacy and appropriateness of radiation therapy of nontumorous diseases. The authors consider the general principles of the organization of radiotherapeutic service, discuss reasons that have led to a decrease in the use of this method for therapy of nontumorous diseases in this country. They also emphasize the fact that radiation therapy must have its place among therapeutic modalities used for nontumorous diseases.

[Effect of local laser irradiation on the morphological and ultrastructural changes in the joint tissues in experimental arthritis]

The authors studied the results of the effect of local laser irradiation on the tissues of joints in experimental arthritis induced in rabbits. Laser irradiation suppressed the immunopathological process in the synovial membrane of joints and enhanced destruction of cartilage.

[Experiences with low-power laser therapy in internal medicine geriatrics]

The use of low power laser therapy in 30 in-patients aged from 72 to 86 years suffering from diseases of the movement apparatus resistant to treatment and from chronic peripheral and cerebral circulation disorders based on arteriosclerosis is proofed as efficient, riskless physicaltherapy method to improve the complaints and to economize with medicamentation.

Treatment of antigen-induced arthritis in rabbits with dysprosium-165-ferric hydroxide macroaggregates

Dysprosium-165-ferric hydroxide macroaggregates (165Dy-FHMA) was used as an agent of radiation synovectomy in an antigen-induced arthritis model in New Zealand white rabbits. Animals were killed up to 6 months after treatment. 165Dy-FHMA was found to have a potent but temporary antiinflammatory effect on synovium for up to 3 months after treatment. Treated knees also showed significant preservation of articular cartilage architecture and proteoglycan content compared with untreated controls, but only during the first 3 months after treatment. In animals killed 3 and 6 months after treatment there were only minimal differences between the treated and untreated knees, indicating that the antiinflammatory effects on synovial tissue and articular cartilage preservation were not sustained.

[Radiation treatment of benign diseases--indications, results and technic]

Radiotherapy is an effective means to treat several benign diseases; in fact, the therapeutic effects set in quickly and are of a long-term nature. Relapses are rare. Side effects or other undesirable reactions are negligible. The gonads are under risk that should not be underestimated, but this is usually acceptable within reasonable limits. The age of the woman patient and localisation of the disease are decisive factors. Definite dosage reductions can be achieved by suitable radioprotective measures. Nevertheless, indications for any kind of radiotherapy with ionising radiation should be strict as a matter of principle.

Effect of the intra-articular injection of lutetium-177 in chelator liposomes on the progress of an experimental arthritis in rabbits

The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by radiosynovectomy has been restricted by the difficulty of preventing leakage of the radioisotope from the joint cavity. We have previously shown that this leakage can be reduced to very low levels by delivering the radioisotope in liposomes containing the lipophilic chelator, 3-cholesteryl 6-[N'-iminobis-(ethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid]hexyl ether. The present study investigates the effectiveness of the beta-emitting isotope lutetium-177, delivered in chelator liposomes, in treating an experimental arthritis in rabbits. Chelator liposomes containing 0.35 mCi, 0.175 mCi Or 0.087 mCi of the isotope were injected into the synovial cavities of the knees of rabbits with an established experimental arthritis. The retention of the lutetium and the progress of the arthritis were followed for 47 days, and samples of the joint tissues were taken for histology at the end of the experiment. Results showed that losses of radioactivity averaged less than 1% per day over 47 days and that joints treated with 0.175 mCi showed significant reductions in both diameter and surface temperature compared with controls treated with a non-radioactive preparation. Post-mortem histology revealed that, whereas control joints showed a highly active synovitis, synovia of joints treated with 0.175 or 0.35 mCi lutetium-177 had very little inflammatory activity. Although some joints which had received 0.35 mCi showed signs of damage to the articular cartilage, this damage was not apparent wih either of the two lower doses. We conclude that, in this animal model, chelator liposomes complexed with a suitable radioisotope are capable of effecting an efficient synovectomy.

Synovectomy of the knee with 90Y

In 33 patients with chronic arthritis of the knee, 48 knees were treated with an intra-articular injection of 5 mCi yttrium silicate (90Y). There were 27 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 6 with osteoarthrosis (OA); the mean follow-up period was 33 months. At clinical investigation after 1 year, no signs of pain or swelling were found in 15 knees. In most cases, pain and swelling improved subjectively, with a mean duration of 11 months; in 20 knees, the improvement lasted more than 22 months. When radiographs showed severe destruction, 90Y treatment was unsuccessful, but an important new finding was that most patients with mild or moderate radiological abnormalities appeared to have a long-lasting improvement. The result did not correlate with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), haemoglobin or Rose titre at the time of injection or at follow up, suggesting that the result of the treatment is more dependent on local factors than on the disease activity. The results of 90Y treatment in 6 OA knees with persistent swelling were promising regarding swelling, even in patients with moderate radiological abnormalities. The main side-effect was a sometimes painful swelling of the knee, which was always successfully treated with an intraarticular corticosteroid injection. In 90Y-treated knees, the incidence of unstable joints was not significantly higher than in non-treated knees. In conclusion, 90Y synovectomy may be a successful treatment for patients older than 50 years with chronic arthritis of the knee due to RA and probably also OA, even when moderate radiological abnormalities are present.