RESUMO
To evaluate the significance of measuring serum levels of Oncostatin-M [OS-M] and matrix metalloproteinase-3 [MMP-3] in the assessment of rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and osteoarthritis [OA]. The study was performed on 15 RA, 15 OA patients and 10 controls age and sex matched. Laboratory and clinical data for all the patients were assessed and serum MMP-3 and OS-M were measured in all subjects. Statistical analysis and correlations were done for all the data. Serum levels of MMP-3 and OS-M were higher in RA than OA patients and controls. The difference was of a high statistical significance [p<0.001, p<0.001]. In RA patients OS-M level correlated positively with MMP-3 level [r=0.826] but OS-M and MMP-3 did not correlate with any parameters of disease activity. There was a significant difference in serum levels of OS-M and MMP-3 in patients taking steroid therapy and those who were not on steroid therapy. In OA patients, serum MMP-3 and OS-M were also higher than those of controls and the difference was highly significant. MMP-3 in OA patients correlated positively with ESR [r=0.77] and this was higher in patients with severe erosive changes. Measuring serum MMP-3 and OS-M is necessary for evaluating synovial inflammation and cartilage destruction in RA and OA patients. Using MMP inhibitor may be useful to stop the progression of synovitis and erosions