ABSTRACT
Pathology o f synovial jo in ts com m only arise th rough in jury or as a consequence o f acute o r chronic in flam m atory diseases. R upture o f the an terio r cruciate ligam ent (ACL) o f the knee jo in t, the m ost com m on articular in ju ry in football and o ther such contact sports, can end a lucrative sporting career whilst the chronic jo in t inflam m ation o f rheum ato id arth ritis can produce crip pling deform ity o f m any jo in ts leading to chronic pain, loss o f function and disfigure m ent. The m echanism s responsible for such diseases rem ain obscure b u t there is grow ing evidence to suggest tha t a com ponen t o f the pathogenesis in these conditions m ay be related to changes in vascular function. This article begins w ith the putative physi ological function o f calcitonin gene-related pep tide (CGRP) in m a in ta in ing synovial perfusion in the face o f sym pathetic vaso constric to r tone an d proceeds to discuss pathophysiological aspects o f the regulation o f jo in t perfusion and how CGRP may influ ence or be influenced by the disease process.
