[Significance of coagulation disorders and inflammatory immune reaction in an infectious model of rheumatoid arthritis. I. Systemic, shock-like coagulopathy and fibrin incorporation as indicators of rheumatoid manifestations in the erysipelas model].

A combined study employing plethysmographical, scintillation counting and coagulation methods indicates that a coagulation crisis in combination with fibrin overproduction may be an indicator of a beginning arthritis of rheumatoid character. Rats which received a single subcutaneous infection with erysipelas bacteria exhibit a shock resembling crisis two days post inoculation as substantiated by the consumption of coagulation factors II, V, VIII, XII and decrease of platelets. This consumption of coagulation factors is characterized by a rapid compensatory increase of platelets, antihaemophilic factor VIII and fibrin, 5 times more in the pig and 3 1/2 times more in the rat than in control animals. In adult rats the overproduction of fibrin is combined with an intense concealed consumption of fibrin in all organs of manifestation. Only in young rats an absolute consumption of fibrin is observed. The incorporation of fibrin into connective tissue is accompanied by fibrin consumption as demonstrated by immunofluorescence, by oedema of the paw, and by mesenchymal proliferation as substantiated by scintillation counting of incorporated 35SO4 and 3H-Proline, as markers for the beginning synthesis of ground substances and collagen. This model supports the importance of an initial vascular phase for the subsequent phase of manifestation in chronic rheumatoid diseases. It is discussed whether the organ specific permeability of the affected organs (joints, heart, arteries and eyes) may be a localizing factor of organ manifestation, parallel to the hormonal mesenchymal reaction.