Serum Visfat
Serum Visfatin is Specific Significant Predictor of Rheumatoid Arthritis Severity: A Comparative Study versus Interleukin-6 and Clinical Severity Scores
Khaled Amer1and Waleed M. Fathy2
1Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University
2Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufiya University
Abstract: Objectives: To determine serum levels of visfatin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of varying duration of disease and to correlate it with serum interleukin (IL)-6 and clinical and radiological severity scores. Patients & Methods: The study included 70 patients fulfilled either four of seven ACR criteria or having morning stiffness ≥60 minutes, symmetrical arthritis and small joint arthritis for at least 6 months and 20 cross matched age and gender volunteers (Control group). Patients' data including age, gender, weight, height and calculation of body mass index (BMI) were determined. All patients underwent clinical evaluation for disease activity assessed using a 28 joint disease activity score, (DAS-28), pain using visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability using the Swedish version of the Stanford health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) to calculate the Disability Index (DI). Postero-anterior radiographs of hands, wrists, and forefeet were taken and joint destruction was classified according to Larsen–Dale index. Blood samples were obtained from patients and controls for ELISA estimation of Rheumatoid factor (RF) and serum IL-6 and visfatin. Results: Mean DAS-28 score was 3.9±0.8; range: 1.4-6.8, mean VAS joint pain score was 60.2±5.2; range: 51-71 and mean DI was 12.3±5.1. Erosive lesions were identified in 43 patients (61.4%), while the remaining 27 patients (38.6%). Fifty-one patients (72.9%) were RF positive; 34 had joint erosions and 17 patients were free of erosion. Estimated serum levels of IL-6 and visfatin were significantly higher in patients compared to controls with significantly higher levels in patients had erosive lesions compared to those free of erosion. There was positive significant correlation between presence of radiological evidence of presence bone erosion and patients' age, clinical data and disease severity scores and serum levels of IL-6 and visfatin. Serum levels of IL-6 and visfatin were found to be specific predictors of radiological evidence of bone erosion. Conclusion: There was a positive significant correlation between serum visfatin levels and clinical and radiological severity of RA and could be considered as specific predictor for RA radiological severity.
[Khaled Amer and Waleed M. Fathy. Serum Visfatin is Specific Significant Predictor of Rheumatoid Arthritis Severity: A Comparative Study versus Interleukin-6 and Clinical Severity Scores. Life Sci J 2012;9(1):809-816]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 117
Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, interleukin-6, visfatin, prediction of radiological severity. Full Text 117
