Abnormal lipid and lipoprotein profiles in reumatoid arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a high mortality rate than the general population with cardiovascular disease resulting from accelerated atherosclerosis being the most common cause of death. Plasma lipoprotein levels are an important determinant of atherosclerosis, the major cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. The study group consisted of 10 patients (27–78 years) with RA. The reference group was made up of 13 healthy subjects (22–52 years). The aim of the present study was to investigate lipid, lipoprotein, ox-LDL concentrations and lipid and lipoprotein ratios in RA patients and compared to healthy subjects. The serum levels of lipids and apoAI, apoB, and oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL) were determined. Lipid and lipoprotein profiles were obtained in serum after 14-hour overnight fasting. Lipids and lipoproteins (apoA, apoB) were determined on Hitachi 902 analyzer. LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated according to the Friedewald formula. Non-HDL-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) was calculated as total cholesterol (TC) minus HDL-C. Ox-LDL concentration was made using the ELISA method from BioMedica, Vien, Austria. The obtained results in RA patients show that those had significantly increased TG, TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, apoB, ox-LDL concentrations and TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratios, and decreased HDL-C level and apoAI/apoB, HDL-C/apoAI ratios as compared to the reference group. Conclusion. Disturbances in lipid and lipoprotein profiles and high ox-LDL level suggest that RA patients have a high risk of arteriosclerosis. However, future studies are required.