DEVELOPMENT OF RHEUMATOID FACTOR ACTIVITY AND CRYOGLOBULINS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SYPHILIS

One hundred and one patients with primary and 51 patients with secondary syphilis, in which the date of infection was known, were screened for rheumatoid factor activity and cryoglobulinemia. In addition, a titrated VDRL slide test and TPI test as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and paper electrophoresis were performed. The incidence of both cryoglobulins and rheumatoid factor was found to increase with the duration of the infection. Patients with rheumatoid factor activity or cryoglobulinemia mostly had a high level of rcagins and a reactive TPI test, and usually also an elevated ESR and/or hypergammaglobulinemia. © 1969 S. Karger AG, Basel.