ISSN:
1434-9949
Keywords:
Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
;
IgA-alpha-1-antitrypsin Complex
;
Acute Phase Proteins
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary We followed the levels of serum IgA-alpha-1-antitrypsin complex (IgA-AT), C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha-1-acidglycoprotein (AGP), and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) in twenty-seven early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients during the first three years of the disease duration. Fifteen patients were treated with methotrexate (MTX), twelve patients with NSAIDs only. The IgA-AT serum concentrations were significantly higher in RA patients as compared to the control group (0.72±0.39 U, vs. 0.27±0.15 U, p〈0.01). It decreased in almost all individuals (23 cases) during the observation. This decrease occurred in both MTX treated and untreated patients; however, it was statistically significant (p〈0.01) only in MTX treated patients. On average, the levels of ESR, CRP, AGP, and ACT were higher at the beginning of the disease as compared to healthy controls. After three years duration of the disease, a significant decrease in serum levels of all these markers of acute phase response was observed. At the onset of the disease, AGP and ACT reactivity coefficients were normal; after three years they dropped. We demonstrated an association between IgA-AT level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. No relationships were shown between IgA-AT levels and APP serum concentrations and APP glycosylation patterns in RA patients treated with MTX. Since decrease in IgA-AT level does not correlate with decrease in APP, we can suppose that observed changes in IgA-AT concentration depend rather on direct action of MTX on the complex, than the changes in disease course. Besides gold salts, D-penicillamine, and sulphasalazine, methotrexate may also destroy covalent linkage between IgA and antitrypsin.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02208156
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