Implication of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)‎ and its binding protein in arthritic patients

Abstract EN

This study was conducted to identify the differences in the levels of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) in 20 rheumatoid arthritis patients (RA), 20 osteoarthritis patients (OA) and 10 normal subjects as a control group.

We also intended to find out their relation to these two diseases.

Our results revealed a highly significant decrease in the level of both IGF-1 and IGFBP3 in RA patients than OA patients and controls (p < 0.001).

To the contrary, their levels were highly significantly higher in OA patients than controls (p < 0.001).

In patients with RA, we found a negative correlation between the level of IGF-1 and IGFBP3 on one hand and ESR and X-ray scoring on the other.

No significant correlation could be detected between these growth factors and either of disease activity scoring or functional status.

In OA, there was a positive correlation between these factors and X-ray scoring only.

These results pointed out to the extension of connection of these growth factors with the degree of synthesis of matrix and collagen in bone and cartilage in arthritic patients.