The relationship between serum levels of lipid profile and activity of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology marked by a symmetric, peripheral polyarthritis. It is the most common form of chronic inflammatory arthritis and often results in joint damage and physical disability. As it is a systemic disease, it may result in variety of extra-articular manifestations, including fatigue, subcutaneous nodules, lung involvement, pericarditis, peripheral neuropathy, vasculitis, and hematologic abnormalities. Aim of the work: Show changes of serum lipid profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients and Methods: Fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis who diagnosed according to (EULAR/ ACR2010) criteria for rheumatoid arthritis, 47 females and 3 males with a mean age of 36.80 ±6.03 years. Fifty control healthy subjects included 43 females and 7 males with a mean age of 36.14 ±7.73 years were examined for their lipid profile parameters and disease activity. Lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol and atherogenic index ratio), erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein; all were determined for both the patients and control groups. Results: The results of the present study revealed that rheumatoid arthritis patients exhibited a highly significant increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.0001), with a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p= 0.002). As a consequence, the atherogenic index ratio was significantly higher (p=0.0001). The rheumatoid factor, CRP and ESR were higher in patients with RA than in control group with very highly significant difference (p=0.0001). There is a significant correlation between disease activity score (DAS 28) and different parameters of lipid profile which was a highly significant with LDL and TC/HDL (0.9-0.8) respectively and was less significant with other parameters. The disease duration for rheumatoid arthritis patients was significantly correlated with Das28 score (p=0.01). Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis patients are characterized by an atherogenic lipid profile in comparison with the healthy controls. Recognition and treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis and reduction of cardiac risk factor has greater impact on the course of the disease.