title: Plasma levels of leptin and visfatin in rheumatoid arthritis patients; is there any relationship with joint damage?
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder, primarily targeting the synovium and articular cartilage that leads to joint damage. Recent reports have suggested the role of adipocytokines in mediating joint damage; however it still is a matter of debate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between serum values of adiopocytokines (leptin, visfatin) and radiographic joint damage in patients with RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four patients diagnosed with RA, based on Revised ACR Criteria 2010, with 1-5 year disease duration since diagnosis, were enrolled. Twenty-nine of patients had erosion in radiographic studies and 25patients had no erosion. Radiographic joint damages were defined according to Larsen Score. Additionally, serum levels of adipocytokines were measured and cross-sectional associations with radiographic damage were explored, adjusting for pertinent confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum level of visfatin were significantly higher in patients with radiographic joint damage compared with patients with no joint damage (P=0.013). This difference remained significant after adjustment for C-reactive protein levels (P=0.008), but not after adjustment for disease duration (P=0.247). The mean leptin serum levels were not different between these two groups (P=0.903). There was a positive correlation between leptin levels and BMI (r=0.494, P<0.001). However, after adjustment for BMI, leptin levels had no difference between two groups (P=0.508).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that visfatin levels were significantly higher in patients with radiographic joint damage dependently to disease duration. Therefore, it seems that adipocytokine may be a valuable factor in therapeutic targets in the future.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mirfeizi
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Noubakht
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Assistant, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.
authors.forename: Ali Etemad
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jokar
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Zhaleh Shariati
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Sarabi
keywords: Adipocytokine; Larsen score; Leptin; Rheumatoid arthritis; Visfatin