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In the last few years, the intra-articular administration of somatostatin, has been used in some diseases regarding rheumatology such as rheumatoid arthritis psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis, giving encouraging results. The objective of this study was to asses the efficacy and tolerability of subacromial-injection of somatostatin in 20 patients with painful shoulder. The study consisted of 3 injection administered every 4 days. The results revealed a significant improvement of the pain during active movement as well as joint excursion, and interference with daily activity immediately after the first injection. The good tolerability of the drug and the absence of unwanted side-effects allow us to foresee that the local-administration of somatostatin could be used in painful shoulder notably in those patients in which other drugs are not appropriate.

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is characterized by finger clubbing, periostosis and arthritis. The pathogenesis of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy is still uncertain. Earlier studies have been focused on the potential role of platelet and endothelium in the pathogenesis of HOA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in 21 HOA patients. The circulating levels of ET-1, beta-TG were significantly higher in HOA patients vs healthy controls, but not vs controls with lung diseases. On the contrary, PDGF was significantly higher in HOA patients vs healthy controls and vs subjects with lung diseases. These findings suggest that "endothelium/platelet unit" may play a role in the pathogenesis of HOA, and PDGF could induce the changes observed in HOA.

Objective: Obesity is often associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and with chronic hyperinsulinemia. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between overweight patients and OA of the knee., Methods: Forty-eight overweight outpatients (40 women and 8 men) were recruited into the study. They were separated into 2 groups: Group 1 patients with OA of the knee and Group 2 subjects without OA of the knee. Serum insulin levels were determined in all patients., Results: Insulin levels were statistically higher in patients with OA (p < 0.01) compared to subjects without OA., Conclusion: Our data suggest that insulin may play a role in the pathogenesis of OA of the knee in overweight patients.

Chondrocalcinosis is an important, common, age-related joint disease. Its characteristic is the deposit of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in hyaline and fibrous cartilages. Occasionally, it is a familial disorder; more often, it is a sporadic disease of adults sometimes in association with hormonal and metabolic disorders. The relationship between CC and diabetes mellitus (DM) is disputed. In this study the prevalence of radiographic CC (knee and/or wrist) in 184 DM patients was evaluated. For comparison two matched groups without DM were studied: i) 184 consecutive unselected out-patients seem in Rheumatology Department of Ancona University with X-rays of knee and/or wrist; ii) 184 consecutive unselected outpatients observed in a Radiology Department with X-rays of knee and/or wrist. No statistical difference was found between the prevalence of CC in DM patients vs controls. Moreover 113 CC patients were studied. No statistical difference was observed between the prevalence of DM and impaired glucose tolerance in CC patients vs controls. These results may suggest that there is no relationship between CC and diabetes mellitus, as other studies have recently shown.

Recently somatostatin (SST) intra-articular administration has been used in the treatment of some rheumatoid diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis with encouraging results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of SST intra-articularly injected, involving 20 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Treatment consisted of 4 injections, administered weekly, each of 750 mcg SST. Additionally, in six of them we evaluated the circulating levels of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 at the base-line time and then every 7 days (immediately before each dose of SST). The results revealed an improvement in pain and in joint function after intra-articular SST, confirmed by statistical analysis. The circulating levels of IGF-1 did not show significant variations following intra-articular administration of SST. The excellent tolerability and the absence of unwanted side-effects with SST allow us to foresee that intra-articular SST could be used in cases of painful knee osteoarthritis, especially in those patients in which other drugs are not appropriate. Moreover, in the absence of modifications of serum levels of IGF-1, SST could be used in athletes.