title: Decreased circulating visfatin is associated with improved disease activity in early rheumatoid arthritis: data from the PERAC cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate circulating visfatin and its relationship with disease activity and serum lipids in patients with early, treatment-naïve rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum visfatin was measured in 40 patients with early RA before and after three months of treatment and in 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score for 28 joints (DAS28) at baseline and at three and 12 months. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate whether improved disease activity is related to serum visfatin or a change in visfatin level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum visfatin was significantly elevated in early RA patients compared to healthy controls (1.92±1.17 vs. 1.36±0.93 ng/ml; p = 0.034) and significantly decreased after three months of treatment (to 0.99±0.67 ng/ml; p<0.001). Circulating visfatin and a change in visfatin level correlated with disease activity and improved disease activity over time, respectively. A decrease in visfatin after three months predicted a DAS28 improvement after 12 months. In addition, decreased serum visfatin was not associated with an improved atherogenic index but was associated with an increase in total cholesterol level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A short-term decrease in circulating visfatin may represent an independent predictor of long-term disease activity improvement in patients with early RA.
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Ondřej
authors: O
authors: Sglunda
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Heřman
authors: H
authors: Mann
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Hana
authors: H
authors: Hulejová
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Markéta
authors: M
authors: Kuklová
authors: Technology Centre ASCR, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Ondřej
authors: O
authors: Pecha
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Lenka
authors: L
authors: Pleštilová
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Mária
authors: M
authors: Filková
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Karel
authors: K
authors: Pavelka
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Jiří
authors: J
authors: Vencovský
authors: Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Ladislav
authors: L
authors: Senolt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase