Serum hyaluronate in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract EN

The serum level of hyaluronate (HA) was assessed in 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 10 normal controls.

The mean serum HA level was significantly higher in RA patients than in controls.

The increase in serum HA probably reflected an excessive production by rheumatoid synovium and not a lowered catabolism, as all patients had normal hepatic function.

The mean HA level in RA patients on corticosteorids was significantly lower than that of RA patients not receiving this type of therapy.

Serum HA levels did not correlate with clinical or laboratory indicators of inflammatory activity.

This result suggests that serum HA may not be taken as a diagnostic marker of disease activity in RA.