Hyaluronate as a biomarker for rheumatiod arthritis activity

ABSTRACT

Hyaluronic Acid [HA] in synovial tissue may leak into the circulation during synovial inflammation. So serum HA levels are expected to be elevated in rheumatic diseases with synovial involvement such as rheumatoid arthritis. To study the clinical specificity of HA for rheumatoid arthritis [RA] as a possible biomarker related to cartilage and bone turnover and its relation to disease activity. Serum samples from 50 RA were tested. 20 serum samples from healthy blood donors were used as controls. HA serum level in ng/ml was determined using an ELISA-based assay, and correlated with the clinical and laboratory variables. RA patients had mean age 45.9 +/- 7.8 SD years and duration of disease was 2.4 +/- 1.2 years. The study showed significant correlations between the serum HA level and the indices of disease activity, joint swollen scores [R=0.77, p<0.05], morning stiffness [R=0.67, p<0.05], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] [R = 0.78, p<0.05], C-reactive protein [CRP] [R=0.79, p<0.05] in RA patients. There was significant correlation with disease duration [R=0.68, p<0.05] and Ritchie articular index [RAI] [R=0.82, p<0.05]. No significant correlation of HA level with age of RA patients was observed [R=-0.28, p>0.05]. Serum HA level is a useful marker for the activity and severity of disease in RA patients