Type I collagen degradation does not diminish with RA disease duration.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relation between type I collagen degradation and the duration of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
The serum concentrations of cross linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) measured earlier in a community based series (90 patients) and a hospital based series (59 patients) were re-evaluated with reference to the duration of RA.


RESULTS
The serum ICTP showed a positive correlation with the duration of the disease in the hospital based series (r(s)=0.40, p<0.01) but not in the community based one (r(s)=0.18, p=0.10).


CONCLUSIONS
Type I collagen degradation predominantly reflecting pathological bone destruction does not seem to diminish in longlasting RA.
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Oulu, FIN-90220 Oulu, Finland. markku.hakala@oulu.fi
M
M
Hakala
K
K
Aho
S
S
Aman
R
R
Luukkainen
M
M
Kauppi
J
J
Risteli
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D010455:Peptides; D003094:Collagen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein