Enzymes in intestinal mucosa from patients with rheumatoid diseases.

Jejunal mucosa from arthritic and control subjects was obtained by intraluminal biopsy or at operation and analysed for eight different enzymes. Histidinemethyl-esterase showed 6 to 10 times higher values in patients uith rheumatoid arthritis on comparison with control individuals in respective series. A disturbance in the histidine metabolism in these patients, possible depending on their intestinal flora, is discussed.