Joint fluid leukocytosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis evidence for neutrophil and monocyte chemotaxis in vivo.

The cell picture of the synovial fluid of fourteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis was studied in smears contrasted with the May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain. The cytology was dominated by neutrophils, many with signs of necrobiosis. The mononuclear cells displayed signs of proliferation and differentiation. Comparison with the immobile erythrocyte provided evidence that the accumulation of leukocytes in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was due to active leukocyte migration, presumably stimulated random movement and chemotaxis.