AB0126 Comparison of Serum Apelin, Fetuin-A Levels and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome and Healthy Subjects

Abstract

BackgroundApelin is a glycoprotein, adipocytokine that plays an important role in decreasing the vascular inflammation on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders (1). Fetuin-A is also another glycoprotein that can be an acute phase protein negatively correlates with inflammation (2). Carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) may indicate vascular inflammation in primary Sjögren's syndrome (3). However, we do not know the relationship between serum apelin, fetuin-a levels and C-IMT in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.ObjectivesTo compare of the serum Apelin, Fetuin-A levels and C-IMT in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) and healthy controls.MethodsSixty-SjS patients and sixty healthy subjects were enrolled to this study. Serum apelin, fetuin-a levels were measured by ELISA. Concomitant C-IMT evaluations of the participants were performed. The BMI, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipid profiles were studied. Other laboratory parameters, autoantibody profiles, minor salivary gland biopsy scores (Chisholm) were obtained from patient's record files. The study was approved by the local ethics committee.ResultsThe median levels of apelin were 178.02±55.23 ng/mL in healthy subjects and 98.66±37.25 ng/mL in SjS (p<0.05) (Figure 1). The median levels of fetuin-a were 1370.3±81.74 ng/mL in control group and 1613±64.49 ng/mL in SjS group (p=0.021) (Figure 1). The C-IMT was negatively correlated with apelin levels in SjS patients (r= - 0.209, p=0.02). There was no significant correlation between fetuin-a levels and C-IMT in SjS (p=0.08). However, there were significant correletions between C-IMT and hemoglobin-A1c (r=0.353, p=0.005), C3 (r=0.36, p=0.004), C4 (r=0.351, p=0.005).ConclusionsWe found lower serum apelin and higher fetuin-a levels in SjS patients than in healthy subjects. Apelin and fetuin-a may be a new possible surrogate biomarker of inflammation in Sjögren's syndrome.ReferencesGualillo O, Gonzalez-Juanatey JR, Lago F. The emerging role of adipokines as mediators of cardiovascular function: physiologic and clinical perspectives. Trends Cardiovasc Med 2007 Nov;17(8):275–83.Harman H, Tekeoğlu İ, Gürol G, et al. Comparison of fetuin-A and transforming growth factor beta 1 levels in patients with spondyloarthropathies and rheumatoid arthritis. Int J Rheum Dis. 2016 Jan 22. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12791. [Epub ahead of print].Gravani F, Papadaki I, Antypa E, et al. Subclinical atherosclerosis and impaired bone health in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome: prevalence, clinical and laboratory associations. Arthritis Res Ther 2015 Apr 11;17:99. doi: 10.1186/s13075-015-0613-6.AcknowledgementWe would like to thank to “Cumhuriyet University Scientific Researches Project Unit (CUBAP)” for funding this project.Disclosure of InterestNone declared