Title: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and Matrix Gla protein (MGP) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: Relation to disease activity
Abstract: Abstract Background: Imbalanced Matrix Gla protein (MGP) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels
occur in inflammatory diseases.
Aim of the work: The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum MGP and OPG levels in
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients and study their relation to the disease activity.
Patients and methods: Forty-five female RA patients and 45 age and sex-matched healthy controls
were included in this study. Disease activity score 28-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) was
used for the assessment of disease activity. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR), MGP and OPG were measured in patients and controls. The associations
of MGP and OPG with DAS28-CRP and the other laboratory and clinical variables were
analyzed.Results: RA patients had significantly higher serum OPG levels (408.3 ± 520.9 pg/ml) and hsCRP
(2.8 ± 1.9 mg/l) than the control (92.5 ± 86.3 pg/ml and 0.9 ± 1.5 mg/l respectively)
(p < 0.001 each). There was no significant difference in MGP levels between the patients and control
(p = 0.3). The correlation of OPG and MGP with DAS28-CRP in the patients was insignificant
(p = 0.4 and p = 0.8 respectively). Age positively correlated with OPG (r = 0.32, p = 0.02), but
not with MGP concentration (r = 0.05, p = 0.64) in the RA patients.
Conclusions: The significant elevation of the OPG level in RA patients may through light on its
possible role in the pathogenesis of this disease and could be considered as a future therapeutic
target. The significant correlation with age suggests that OPG may be an important mediator
especially in elderly RA cases.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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