Serum lipid profile in early rheumatoid arthritis

الملخص EN

Several investigators reported an excess of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

The majority of cardiovascular deaths result from accelerated atherosclerosis.

Elevated plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are strong risk factors for atherosclerotic events.

Twenty five patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1987criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) had early disease with disease duration of less than one year without prior use of disease modifying ant rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and /or systemic steroids were examined for their lipid profile level and the relation of the atherogenic ratio to their disease were investigated during the period between March–December 2006 in the Department of Rheumatology at Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital.

Lipid profile (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG), ESR and C-reactive protein were determined for both the patients and control groups. The results of the study revealed that ERA patients exhibited higher serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG), whereas their serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower compared to controls.

As a consequence, the atherogenic ratio of TC / HDL-C as well as that of LDL-C / HDL-C was significantly higher in ERA patients compared to controls and these changes were correlated with laboratory changes, especially CRP and ESR.

ERA patients are characterized by an atherogenic lipid profile in comparison with the healthy control subjects.

Recognition and treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis and reduction of these and other cardiac risk factors has greater impact on the course of the disease.