title: Differential associations of inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis of short duration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate endothelial dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of short duration in relation to disease activity based on the assessment of 28 joints (DAS28).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 29 patients (22 women, mean age 41 (SD, 9) years) with RA of short duration and 29 healthy controls. The RA subjects were divided into those with low (DAS28: 2.6-5.1, n = 18) or high (DAS28 > 5.1, n = 11) disease activity. Exclusion criteria included clinically overt atherosclerosis and other coexistent diseases. Biochemical markers of inflammatory activation and endothelial dysfunction were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant intergroup differences in the majority of classical cardiovascular risk factors. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor- α , and interleukin-6 were increased in RA subjects. Compared to the controls, levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, von Willebrand factor, and pentraxin-3 were significantly elevated in RA subjects with low disease activity, exhibiting no further significant rises in those with high disease activity. Asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine, soluble E-selectin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and osteoprotegerin were increased only in RA patients with high disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings might suggest a dissociation of pathways governing generalized and joint-specific inflammatory reactions from those involved in endothelial activation and inflammation within the vascular wall.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4582-3425
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klimek
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5560-3632
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skalska
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Balneology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kwaśny-Krochin
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Kopernika 17, 31-501 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Surdacki
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Balneology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sulicka
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkosz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Kopernika 15b, 31-501 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fedak
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kierzkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9218-6978
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wizner
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College/University Hospital, ul. Śniadeckich 10, 31-531 Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Grodzicki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D001120:Arginine; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019040:E-Selectin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D000099153:Pentraxins; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine