RESEARCH - Calprotectin is strongly and independently correlated to joint inflammation and damage in RA

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2007 Jan 18; [Epub ahead of print]

Calprotectin (a major leukocyte protein) is strongly and independently

correlated to joint inflammation and damage in rheumatoid arthritis.

Berner Hammer H, Odegard S, Fagerhol MK, Landewe R, van der Heijde D, Uhlig

T, Mowinckel P, Kvien TK.

Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Norway.

OBJECTIVE: Calprotectin is a major leukocyte protein, shown to correlate

well with laboratory and clinical assessments in several inflammatory

rheumatic diseases, and high amounts of calprotectin have been found in

synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective

of the present study was to examine correlations between calprotectin and

joint damage. METHODS: A total of 145 patients with RA were analysed

cross-sectionally with laboratory (calprotectin, CRP and ESR), clinical (28

joint counts (tender, swollen), physician global VAS, DAS28 and RA Articular

Damage score (RAAD)) and radiographic (plain hand radiographs; modified

Sharp's method) measurements, at the same day. RESULTS: Calprotectin showed

a highly significant correlation with measures of joint damage; modified

Sharp score r=0.43 (p<0.001) and RAAD r=0.40 (p<0.001). The association with

modified Sharp score and RAAD maintained after adjustment for CRP, ESR,

rheumatoid factor, DAS28, sex and age in a multiple regression analysis

(p=0.018 and p=0.04, respectively), while neither CRP nor ESR showed any

independent associations. Highly significant correlations (p<0.001) were

also found between calprotectin and both laboratory and clinical markers of

inflammation.

CONCLUSION: Calprotectin was found to significantly and independently

explain the variation in the radiological and clinical assessments of joint

damage. Longitudinal studies are required to examine whether calprotectin

may predict the progression of joint damage in RA.

PMID: 17234650

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\

7234650

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