Serum Lipid Alterations in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients on Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatoid Therapy.
Dyslipidaemia is a major CVD risk factor in the general population. Current evidence suggests that lipid metabolism is altered in RA due to inflammation, and that use of anti-inflammatory therapy may reverse some of these changes. The objective of our study is to compare the effect of treatment with DMARD on lipid fractions after 6 months of therapy. Forty patients who met the American College of Rheumatology, ACR/EULAR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis, with disease duration of less than 1 year and no prior treatment were included in the study. Thirty healthy volunteers were included as controls. The mean DAS-28 at disease onset was 5.15 ± 1.3. Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (ERA) patients exhibited higher serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels compared to controls. As a consequence, the atherogenic index of plasma [log (TG/HDL-C)], the atherogenic indices: TC/HDL-C as well as LDLC/HDL-C was significantly higher in ERA patients compared to controls. After 6 months of treatment, there was significant reduction of the DAS 28, HDL-C and Apo A-I improved and Lp(a) decreased significantly. All lipid ratios improved, a phenomenon primarily due to the increase in serum HDL-C levels. These changes were inversely correlated with CRP and ESR. In conclusion, ERA patients are characterized by an atherogenic lipid profile, which improves with DMARD therapy.
Department of Biochemistry, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telengana 500082 India.
Sana
S
Parveen
Department of Biochemistry, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telengana 500082 India.
Rachel
R
Jacob
Department of Rheumatology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telengana 500082 India.
Liza
L
Rajasekhar
Department of Rheumatology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telengana 500082 India.
C
C
Srinivasa
Department of Biochemistry, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telengana 500082 India.
Iyyapu Krishna
IK
Mohan
Apolipoproteins; Atherogenic indices; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular risk; Log (TG/HDL-C); Lp(a); Small dense LDL-C