The pattern of colonic myoelectrical activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract EN

Colonic myoelectricl activity (MEA) tracing in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients showed a characteristic pattern.

Patients were chosen according to their medical treatment.

Non teroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAlDs) and corticosteroid therapies were stopped one week prior to the recording.

These patients were given intravenously acetylsalicylic acid or dexamethasone and MEA was recorded in both cases before and at different periods following the injection.

The results obtained following the drug administration showed changes in the MEA patterns that occurred after sometime and not immediate changes.

These changes include significant decrease in slow wave/min (by increase in low frequency rhythm) and significant increase in amplitude, but the significant decrease in spike activity is of interest that may assure the influence of these drugs on the MEA.

It was concluded that the MEA is correlated to rheumatoid severity.

Additional research is recommended for the possibility of the presence of autonomic nerve antibodies that may be incriminated in the pathogenesis of autonomic dysfunction as well as, the role of a neural component in the RA disease.