Rheumatoid Arthritis: Hyaluronic Acid and Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein as Predictors of the Disease Progression
Said Al-Dalaen1, Aiman Al-Qtaitat2*, Mohammad Al-Rawashdeh3, Jihad Alzyoud4 and Aiman Al-Maathadi2

1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan. 2Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan. 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Alkarak Governmental Hospital, Karak, Jordan. 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Hashimite University, Zarqa, Jordan. Correspondent Author Email : aimanaq2000@yahoo.com

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to measure the serum concentrations of specific cartilage and bone biomarkers reflecting tissue turnover, particularly hyaluronic acid and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, to investigate disease activity. The study included 60 patients of rheumatoid arthritis with age range 43-66 years; thirty patients were rapid erosive patients and thirty were slow erosive, compared to twenty matched normal population with age range 46-63 years. All individuals enrolled in the study were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and necessary laboratory investigation. The study showed significantly (P<0.0001) higher values of hyaluronic acid, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in slow and rapid erosive arthritic patients versus the controls. A significant positive correlation between serum levels of tests, which have been used in this study. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between serum levels of acid and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (r =0.788, P<0.0001), the test sensitivity was 82.5% and specificity was 100% at a cutoff point (79.5 ng/ml) for serum levels of arthritis in arthritic patients, while, the test sensitivity was 94.4% and specificity was 100% at a cutoff point (20.5 μg/ml) for serum levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in arthritic patients. The measurement of some serological biomarkers as hyaluronic acid and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein that reflect bone and cartilage destruction in arthritic patients could be used to investigate disease activity and increase the knowledge of the basic pathophysiology of joint disease.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis; Hyaluronic acid; Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein; C-reactive protein; Rheumatoid factor

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