title: Biomarkers of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with autoimmune disorders.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is accelerated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We investigated a possible association of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs), nitric oxide (NO), 3-nitrotyrosine, vitamin A, vitamin E, and β-carotene serum levels with subclinical atherosclerosis in RA and PsA. By the use of ELISA, we observed higher ox-LDL levels in patients with intima-media thickness (IMT) > 1 than in patients with IMT ≤ 1 and a negative correlation between NO levels and IMT values. By the use of high-performance liquid chromatography, we determined higher levels of vitamin A in patients with PsA and IMT ≤ 1 than in controls and lower levels of β-carotene in patients with RA and PsA than in controls. β-carotene concentrations were negatively correlated to the duration of disease in RA. Our study confirms that ox-LDLs and NO may be markers of accelerated atherosclerosis in RA and PsA whereas vitamins seem to be associated only to the presence of the autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Profumo
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Franco
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buttari
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masella
authors.forename: Carmelina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filesi
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tosti
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scrivo
authors.forename: Antongiulio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scarno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spadaro
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saso
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riganò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012306:Risk; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine