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Serum levels of adiponectin and vitamin D correlate with activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease in which numerous cells and mediators affect inflammatory conditions and disease severity. To compare the serum levels of adiponectin, vitamin D, copper, and zinc in patients with RA and to investigate the relationship between these parameters and RA severity. Ninety patients with RA and 30 healthy controls participated in this cross-sectional case-control study between November 2016 and April 2017; according to the ACR/EULAR criteria for RA. Serum levels of adiponectin were determined by ELISA; copper and zinc by colorimetric spectrophotometry; and vitamin D by HPLC. Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman tests were performed using SPSS software and data were depicted by GraphPad Prism software. Compared with healthy controls, the serum level of adiponectin was significantly increased, whereas vitamin D was significantly decreased in patients with RA. Adiponectin and vitamin D levels were inversely correlated in RA subgroups (P < 0.001, r = − 0.410). Adiponectin and vitamin D correlated with RA severity. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in copper and zinc levels between RA groups and controls. The definitive roles of adiponectin, vitamin D, copper, and zinc are not completely determined in RA development. Based on disease activity, these parameters can modulate inflammatory conditions, thus they have the potential to be used as promising therapeutic biomarkers to follow up the severity of disease, as well as the progression and treatment success in patients with RA.

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Abbreviations

CRP:

C-reactive protein

DAS28:

Disease activity score

ESR:

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

ELISA:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

IL:

Interleukin

MMP:

Matrix metalloproteinase

NF-κB:

Nuclear factor-kappa B

RA:

Rheumatoid arthritis

SLE:

Systemic lupus erythematosus

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a Grant of Rasoul Akram hospital. We would also appreciate the kind staff of Massoud clinical laboratory for their collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Sholeh Khajoei, Maryam Hassaninevisi, Nahid Kianmehr & Anousheh Haghighi

  2. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Farhad Seif, Majid Khoshmirsafa, Mehdi Shekarabi & Azam Samei

  3. Neuroscience Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Farhad Seif & Azam Samei

  4. Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Majid Khoshmirsafa & Mehdi Shekarabi

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  1. Sholeh Khajoei
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Correspondence to Anousheh Haghighi.

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Khajoei, S., Hassaninevisi, M., Kianmehr, N. et al. Serum levels of adiponectin and vitamin D correlate with activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Mol Biol Rep 46, 2505–2512 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-019-04682-1

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