Rheumatoid synovitis and joint disease. Relationship between arthroscopic and histological changes.

Arthroscopic and histological synovial features have been studied in forty-two patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis. A total index of disease activity as judged arthroscopically correlates significantly with a total index of histological activity. In those patients who have dense, waxy looking villi, the intensity of the villus-proliferation is associated with lymphocytic infiltration of the synovium. No relationship between synovial lining cell proliferation and cartilage disease nor between sparsity of lymphocyte infiltration and cartilage disease could be established.