[Behaviour of synovial blood vessels in semi--thin sections in progressive chronic polyarthritis]

The synovial blood vessels of 17 patients with clinically definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were studied histologically and ultramicroscopically. No differences between seronegative and seropositive RA subjects were found. The abnormalities observed concerned mainly the endothelial cells, which showed changes varying in degree from swelling to fibroblastic transformation. The destruction of endothelial cells seemed to be linked with a positive test for C-reactive protein as a consequence of an acute relapse. Areas of cellular infiltration and partial homogenization were found in the tunica media of the vessel wall. There was a striking hyperemia of the capillaries and venules.