ABSTRACT
Objective: To measure serum level of high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs CRP] in patients with hand osteoarthritis [OA] and to correlate this level with the activity of the disease as detected by bone scintigraphy of both hands
Methodology: The study included 59 patients with hand OA, J6 non erosive OA [non EOA] and 23 erosive OA [EOA]. All patients were subjected to full medical history taking, thorough general clinical examination and clinical examination of hand joints, plain x-ray and bone scintigraphy of both hands. Serum level of hs CRP was measured by particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric method
Results: Serum level of hs CRP was significantly higher in patients with EOA [6. 74 +/- 0.52 mg/L] than in non EOA patients [5.38 +/- 0.58 mg/L]. There was a statistically highly significant difference between both groups as regards the number of scintigraphically positive joints. There was also a significant correlation between hs CRP and the number of clinically affected joints within each group. The correlation between hs CRP and scintigraphically affected joint count was highly significant in EOA patients only. The radiological joint count did not correlate with hs CRP in either group
Conclusion: Higher serum level of hs CRP in EOA may indicate the presence of an inflammatory element in this type of OA. The positive correlation between the level of hs CRP and the count of scintigraphically affected hand joints in EOA demonstrates that it can be used as a feasible test to assess disease activity
ABSTRACT
Objective: to measure the level of serum malondialdehyde [MDA] as a marker of oxidative stress of the activity of blood glutathione peroxidase [GSH Px] and the blood glutathione [GSH] as markers of antioxidant capacity in systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients compared with normal control individuals. Also to detect if there is correlation between these biochemical changes and disease activity and some clinical and laboratory data of SLE patients
Methodology: twenty five SLE patients and ten healthy controls were subjected to clinical examination, history taking and estimation of [a] serum MDA [nmol/ml], [b] blood GSH level [mg/dL] and blood GSH Px activity [u/L]
Results: highly significant increase in serum MDA [p<0.0001] in SLE patients and statistically significant lower level of blood GSH and GSH Px activity compared to the control group [p<0.0001]. Disease activity index was positively correlated to MDA serum level and negatively correlated to both blood GSH level and blood GSH Px
Conclusion: excess production of free radicals as a result of lipid peroxidation and reduction in the antioxidant protection capacity were proved in SLE patients and observed to be more in the presence of some clinical manifestations of SLE. In addition, MDA serum level, blood GSH content and blood GSH Px activity may be used as useful markers for disease activity in SLE