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TABLE 286-4 -- SYNOVIAL FLUID FINDINGS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND OTHER FORMS OF ARTHRITIS |
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SYNOVIAL CHARACTERISTICS |
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS |
GOUT/PSEUDOGOUT |
REITER'S/PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS |
SEPTIC ARTHRITIS |
OSTEOARTHRITIS, TRAUMATIC ARTHRITIS |
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Color |
Yellow |
Yellow-white |
Yellow |
White |
Clear, pale yellow, or bloody |
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Clarity |
Cloudy |
Cloudy-opaque |
Cloudy |
Opaque |
Transparent |
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Viscosity |
Poor |
Poor |
Poor |
Poor |
Good |
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Mucin clot |
Poor |
Poor |
Poor |
Poor |
Good |
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White blood cell count/mm3 |
3000-50,000 |
3000-50,000 or higher |
3000-50,000 or higher |
50,000-300,000 |
<3000 |
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% Polymorphonuclear leukocytes |
>70 |
>70 |
>70 |
>90 |
<25 |
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Glucose levels |
10-25% less than serum * |
10-25% less than serum |
10-25% less than serum |
70-90% less than serum |
5-10% less than serum |
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Total protein |
>3.0 g/dL |
>3.0 g/dL |
>3.0 g/dL |
>3.0 g/dL |
1.8-3.0 g/dL |
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Complement |
Low |
Normal |
High |
High |
Normal |
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Microscopic features |
"RA cells" |
MSU and CPPD crystals |
"Reiter's cells" |
Microbes (Gram stain) |
Cartilage fibrils |
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Culture |
Negative |
Negative |
Negative |
Positive |
Negative |
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IF, EM, and/or PCR for bacteria |
Negative |
Negative |
Positive |
Positive |
Negative |
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MSU = monosodium urate; CPPD = calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate; IF = immunofluorescence; EM = electron microscopy; PCR = polymerase chain reaction. |
*Rarely, glucose levels are very low, as in rheumatoid pleural effusions. These are not disease specific or diagnostic.
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