Serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein and hyaluronic acid in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : correlations with activity, severity, and disability indicies

الملخص EN

Objective : To assess the frequencies of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to detect any correlation between those markers and RA activity, severity and disability indices.

Methodology : Thirty two RA patients and 20 healthy controls were included.

All were subjected to thorough history taking, rheumatologic examination, serological tests, hand and foot x-rays.

Results : Rheumatoid factor was positive in about 56.3 % of the patients, while serum COMP and HA was elevated in 81.3 % and 93.8 % respectively.

There is statistical significant difference between patients and controls as regard HA positivity, serum HA titer, and COMP positivity.

Patients with positive COMP have significant higher incidence of extra-articular manifestations, higher RF titer, ESR, and HA positivity than those with negative COMP.

Comparing patients with positive HA with those with negative HA, there was statistical significant difference in HAQDI (p = 0.04) and number of swollen joints (p = 0.02) in favor of patients with negative HA.

Patients with positive HA have higher ESR and RF titer.

There was significant correlation between serum COMP titer and rheumatoid nodules (p = 0.03), number of swollen joints (p = 0.03), DAS28 (p = 0.01), RAI (p = 0.03), ACR functional status (p = 0.04), HAQ-DI (p = 0.02), ESR (p = 0.006), RF titer (p = 0.02), and serum HA titer (p < 0.001).

Significant correlation was found between serum HA titer and duration of morning stiffness (p = 0.009), NRSP (p = 0.03), DAS28 (p = 0.01), RF positivity (p = 0.03), RF titer (p < 0.001), CRP positivity (p = 0.004), and serum COMP titer (p < 0.001).

Conclusions : Both serum COMP and HA titer showed significant correlations with parameters of disease activity, severity and both are correlated with each other.

Thus, measurements of serum COMP and HA may be useful markers of disease activity and severity in patients with RA.