Relationship between serum acute-phase proteins and high disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum acute-phase proteins and high disease activity evaluated by activity score (DAS28) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.


METHODS
Studies were carried out on 27 females with RA and 32 control women. Acute-phase proteins were divided into 4 fractions as follows: alpha1-globulins represented by alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT); alpha2-globulins - haptoglobin (Hp); beta-globulins - complement C3 (C3) and total transferrin (Tf); gamma-globulins - C reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and immunoglobulin G (IgG), and determined by immunoturbidimetric methods.


RESULTS
The serum levels of acute-phase proteins changed in RA patients. On account of the alterations of concentration, acute-phase proteins are placed in the downgrade scale as follows: CRP, Hp, AGP, C3, AAT and Tf. None of the acute-phase proteins correlated with the RF and the majority of them were closely related to ESR. Almost all of the acute-phase proteins (without C3) were closely related to RA activity (based on DAS28) and their places in the downgrade scale were as follows: CRP, Tf, AGP, Hp and AAT. The degree of disability evaluated by Health Assessment Questionnaire has affected on the concentrations of AGP, Tf and CRP. Serum AGP, AAT and RF levels significantly correlated with the patient's age. No correlations were observed between IgG, TP levels, and clinical data.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the entire panel, the CRP and AGP appeared to be the most useful biochemical markers for evaluation of the disease activity of patients with RA.
Cylwik
B
B
Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. cylwikb@umwb.edu.pl
Chrostek
L
L
Gindzienska-Sieskiewicz
E
E
Sierakowski
S
S
Szmitkowski
M
M
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000378:metabolism; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000097:blood; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000378:metabolism
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D003176:Complement C3; D006242:Haptoglobins; D009961:Orosomucoid; D014168:Transferrin; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor