Muscle Blood Flow in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Summary The MBF in the tibial muscle of RA patients was studied by a Xe-133 clearance method. The MBF, both at rest and after muscular ischemia, was significantly reduced in RA. The decrease in MBF was not clearly dependent on swelling of the neighbouring joints in the extremity studied. The RA patients showed a greater increase in MBF after muscular ischemia than the controls. No correlation was observed between MBF at rest and the ESR, Waaler-Rose titer, duration of the disease and age. In fresh hemiplegic cases there was no clear difference in MBF between the involved and contralateral extremity. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. The reduced MBF in RA reflects the changes in the muscular microcirculation; 2. The central nervous system plays no major role in the development of the diminished MBF in RA.