Serum chemerin and visfatin levels and their ratio as possible diagnostic parameters of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the synovium and articular cartilage that initiates joint damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a change in many inflammatory biomarkers. The present study aims to examine the diagnostic ability of inflammatory adipocytokines (chemerin and visfatin) and their ratio for RA disease. Material and methods: The study recruited 60 RA patients and 30 healthy controls. Serum visfatin and chemerin were measured using the ELISA technique. Some related parameters including body mass index (BMI), lipid profile components, C-reactive protein (CRP), and uric acid levels were also determined and correlated with the level of these adipokines. Results: Serum chemerin, visfatin, CRP, and uric acid (UA) levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in RA patients than those of the control group. The multivariate general linear model (GLM) analysis showed that 70.7% of the change in the level of measured parameters can be explained by the presence of RA disease (partial η 2 = 0.707, p < 0.001). To explore which parameter was affected by the diagnosis, the results of tests between subjects showed that all biomarkers were affected significantly by the diagnosis and the greater effects were on CRP (partial η 2 = 0.480, p < 0.001) followed by chemerin (partial η 2 = 0.295, p < 0.001), while visfatin showed partial η 2 = 0.079 only. Chemerin showed the highest sensitivity (88.1%) and specificity (75.9%) for diagnosis of RA at cutoff concentration = 187.88 ng/ml as compared with other parameters. Conclusions: Chemerin and visfatin levels are affected by RA disease when adjusted for other cofounders. The present results suggest that serum chemerin can be used as an inflammatory marker of RA patients as it has good sensitivity and specificity.

Serum chemerin levels: A potential biomarker of joint inflammation in women with rheumatoid arthritis

“…In early RA patients managed using the treat to target strategy, Tolusso et al identified that chemerin levels can be considered a predictor of early remission of inflammation [17]; however, other studies are required to validate these findings. These data published in the literature support the hypothesis that chemerin levels are related to disease activity in RA [11,15,18]. Nevertheless, there are no previous studies assessing the relation between the persistence of disease activity in RA patients treated with DMARDs and serum chemerin levels.…”

Adipokines and Autoimmunity in Inflammatory Arthritis

“…Cleaved chemerin isoforms are increased in RA synovial fluid [ 34 ], and elevated chemerin plasma levels are correlated with BMI and disease activity in RA [ 79 , 80 ]. Recently, it has been postulated that visfatin and chemerin are increased in RA patients and chemerin can be used as an inflammation marker for RA patients [ 81 ]. Interestingly, total chemerin was found to be increased in RA serum, although it was recently revealed using a proteomics approach that mainly 155A, 156F, and 157S chemerin isoforms are present in RA serum, which is different from the distribution in polycystic ovary syndrome, also showing increased total chemerin levels [ 79 ].…”

“…Many studies evaluate several adipokines, contributing to the knowledge of cross-talking adipokine networks and relationships between adipokines as molecular mediators in RA. Systemic chemerin and visfatin were both increased in RA compared to healthy controls with chemerin, showing the highest specificity for RA [ 81 ]. On the cellular level, both visfatin and resistin alter the expression of miRNA in chondrocytes, leading to both reduced viability and increased apoptosis [ 30 ], thus showing the role of these adipokines in cartilage erosion.…”

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Does serum B lymphocyte chemoattractant protein13 (CXCL13) level correlate with parameters of disease activity and severity in rheumatoid arthritis? Clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasonographic assessment

“…Etiopathogenesis for RA is obscure, it is a prototypic inflammatory disease that results from the interplay between genetic and environmental factors which alter the immunological homeostasis, wherein immunological stimulation and unwanted inflammation predominate. Inflammatory changes involving the synovium of the inflamed joints leading to pain, warmth, swelling, and stiffness that usually experienced early in the morning or after prolonged inactivity that lasts more than 30 min [3].…”