Sodium urate arthritis: effects on the sensory properties of articular afferents in the chicken.

The physiological properties of joint capsule mechanoreceptors in the ankle joint of the chicken were studied in the 3-h period immediately after intra-articular injection of microcrystal sodium urate. The electrical activity was recorded from single C- and A-delta sensory fibres dissected from the parafibular nerve. C-fibres showed high levels of spontaneous activity and receptive fields that varied from single spots 1 mm in diameter up to 4 x 4 mm. Thresholds to mechanical stimulation ranged from 0.1 to 8 g and 80% of the units responded to movement of the joint. A-delta fibres showed little spontaneous activity and receptive fields that varied from 1 mm to 9 x 1 mm. Thresholds to mechanical stimulation ranged from 0.1 to 16 g and 17% responded to joint movement. A comparison of the physiological properties of the C- and A-delta fibres in sodium urate arthritis with similar fibres in normal and monoarthritic animals indicated an increased sensitivity in the C-fibres but not in the A-delta fibres. Sensitisation was observed in the significantly increased receptive field size, decreased response thresholds, increased response to joint movement and the high level of spontaneous activity. These changes in the sensitivity of the joint capsule C-fibre receptors provides peripheral neural evidence for the pain experienced in acute gouty arthritis.