title: Serum pentraxin 3 levels are negatively associated with carotid intima media thickness in non-obese rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a long pentraxin that is supposed to participate in the inflammatory process and in atherosclerosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study PTX3 serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to know if its serum levels may reflect disease activity and/or subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  PTX3 and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) were studied in 85 RA patients (83.5% females, median age of 59years old, median disease duration of 13years) along with its demographic, clinical, serological and lipid profile. For comparison PTX3 was measured in 85 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PTX3 levels in RA patients were similar to controls (p=0.21) and did not correlate with inflammatory activity measured by ESR (p=0.39) CRP (p=0.18) and DAS28 (p=0.67). Serum PTX3 levels were higher in nonobese RA patients than in obese (BMI vs PTX3 with rho=-0.27; 95%IC=-0.46 to -0.06; p=0.009). In non-obese patients, PTX3 correlated negatively with carotid IMT (rho=-0.40; 95%IC=-0.66 to -0.06; p=0.01) but not in the obese ones (p=0.26). In the obese RA patients there was a negative correlation between PTX3 levels and LDL/HDL ratio (Rho=-0.29; 95%IC=-0.53-0.01; p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTX3 levels do not reflect inflammatory process in RA. However, it exerts a protective role in the process of atherogenesis in non-obese RA patients.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Service, Evangelic University Hospital of Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: bazinha_st@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Barbara Stadler
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kahlow
authors.affiliation: Evangelic School of Medicine, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petisco
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Service, Evangelic University Hospital of Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thelma Larocca
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Skare
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goeldner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nisihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iara J T
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Messias-Reason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Obesity; Pentraxin 3; Rheumatoid arthritis