Methotrexate and its effect on the anti-GAD titre in two patients with rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus

Assessment of the usefulness of skin autofluorescence as an indicator of disease activity and of the risk of developing diabetes in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives

Diabetes develops much more often in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in healthy population. One of the parameters which allow to evaluate the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is the level of advanced glycation end products (AGE) in the skin. In patients suffering from RA, an increase in AGE level may be also linked with the course of the underlying disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the AGE level and the course of RA as well as other risk factors for the development of diabetes and CVD.

Material and methods

The study included 148 patients divided into three groups: group I – patients with RA (n = 102, 79 F/23 M), group II – patients with RA and diabetes (n = 21, 14 F/7 M), group III – healthy individuals (n = 25, 16 F/9 M). Each patient underwent a skin autofluorescence signal (SAF) examination with an AGE Reader, which allows the assessment of AGE level, as well as being subjected to the laboratory tests panel. Additionally, patients from group I and II have had their DAS28 (ESR) indicator calculated.

Results

In groups I, II, and III, the respective mean SAF values, expressed in arbitrary units [au], were to 2.54, 2.74, and 1.96 au. Between-group differences in terms of mean SAF values were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Significantly higher mean SAF values in groups I and II as compared to group III suggest that the increase in the AGE level in patients with RA is linked with the underlying disease and does not have to correspond with the real risk of diabetes and CVD. In conclusion, despite the known limitations of the technique, measuring AGE levels allows for closer monitoring of RA patients who are at a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Increased progression of carotid intima media thickness in thyroid peroxidase antibodies-positive rheumatoid arthritis patients

OBJECTIVE

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hypothyroidism tend to cluster, and this coexistence amplifies the elevated cardiovascular risk in RA. Whether thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOabs) are associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has not been studied extensively. Therefore, this study determined firstly the prevalence of TPOabs in RA and secondly whether TPOabs were associated with CVD. Moreover, this study explored whether TPOabs were related to RA characteristics.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Data from the CARRÉ Study, an ongoing study investigating CVDs and its risk factors in RA (n=322), was used to ascertain the prevalence of TPOabs in RA patients. In addition, cardiovascular and RA disease characteristics were compared between TPOabs-positive and -negative patients at baseline and at a second visit after 3 years.

RESULTS

TPOabs were present in 47/322 (15%) RA patients and TSH levels were higher in TPOabs-positive patients (1.40 mU/l) compared with TPOabs-negative patients (1.26 mU/l, P=0.048). At baseline and after 3 years no association was observed between TPOabs and (risk factors for) CVD. Regression analyses revealed a significantly larger progression of carotid intima media thickness (cIMT; β=0.13 mm) in TPOabs-positive compared with TPOabs-negative patients independent of risk factors for cIMT progression. RA disease activity scores (DAS28) were higher in TPOabs-positive compared with TPOabs-negative patients (4.4 vs 3.8 P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

TPOabs were associated with increased cIMT progression. Moreover, an association between TPOabs and DAS28 was observed. Hence, TPOabs seems to have a role in the amplified cardiovascular risk in RA patients.