Enzymatic degradation of cartilage by dialysed urine of rheumatoid patients.

Material and Methods Urine.-This was collected from eight female patients with severe and active rheumatoid arthritis (meeting ARA criteria), one of whom had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate ranged from 30 to 90 mm. in the first hour (Westergren). The WaalerRose test was positive in five and negative in three cases. Urine was collected for control purposes from eight normal subjects, three males and five females, whose average age (31 years) was the same as that of the rheumatoid patients.