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Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in the assessment of inflammatory activity of rheumatoid arthritis patients in remission

  • Gergely Toldi EMAIL logo , Gabriella Bekő , Gabriella Kádár , Emília Mácsai , László Kovács , Barna Vásárhelyi and Attila Balog
Published/Copyright: June 21, 2012
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Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM)
From the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) Volume 51 Issue 2

Abstract

Background: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker increasingly used for the assessment of systemic inflammation. We aimed to evaluate suPAR for the assessment of inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in remission.

Methods: In our cross-sectional study we measured plasma suPAR and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in 120 RA patients at various stages of disease activity and 29 healthy age-matched controls.

Results: suPAR, CRP and ESR values were higher in RA patients compared to healthy individuals. When suPAR levels were analyzed according to DAS28 scores of RA patients, suPAR level in the subgroup with DAS28≤2.6 was lower than in the subgroup with DAS28>2.6, but still higher than in controls [4.45 (3.33–5.56) ng/mL vs. 3.66 (3.10–4.67) ng/mL vs. 2.80 (2.06–3.42) ng/mL, p<0.0001, median (interquartile range)]. In contrast, CRP and ESR values were comparable in the subgroup with DAS28≤2.6 and in healthy individuals. We further analyzed the correlation between the number of tender and/or swollen joints and suPAR levels in RA patients in remission. suPAR values were significantly higher in patients with four tender and/or swollen joints than in patients with 2–3 or 0–1 tender and/or swollen joints.

Conclusions: While CRP and ESR values indicate remission of the chronic inflammatory process in RA, suPAR values are still elevated compared to healthy individuals. suPAR might be particularly valuable in the recognition of inflammatory activity in patients who are in remission according to DAS28 scores but have symptoms of tender and/or swollen joints.

Keywords: C-reactive protein (CRP); erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); inflammation; rheumatoid arthritis; soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR)
Corresponding author: Gergely Toldi, First Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Bókay u. 53-54, 1083 Hungary Phone: +36 20 4367181, Fax: +36 1 3138212

This work was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund [OTKA; grant number 101661]; the Medical Research Council [grant number ETT 05-180/2009]; and a research grant from Roche Hungary Ltd.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. Research funding played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

Research funding: None declared.

Employment or leadership: None declared.

Honorarium: None declared.

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Received: 2012-04-04
Accepted: 2012-05-20
Published Online: 2012-06-21
Published in Print: 2013-02-01

©2013 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2012-0221
Keywords for this article
C-reactive protein (CRP); erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); inflammation; rheumatoid arthritis; soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR)

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  1. Letters to the Editor
  2. Performance evaluation of three different immunoassays for detection of antibodies to hepatitis B core
  3. Serum homocysteine concentrations in Chinese children with autism
  4. Interchangeability of venous and capillary HbA1c results is affected by oxidative stress
  5. Interference of hemoglobin (Hb) N-Baltimore on measurement of HbA1c using the HA-8160 HPLC method
  6. First human isolate of Mycobacterium madagascariense in the sputum of a patient with tracheobronchitis
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  8. α2-HS glycoprotein is an essential component of cryoglobulin associated with chronic hepatitis C
  9. An unusual interference in CK MB assay caused by a macro enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CK) type 2 in HIV-infected patients
  10. An automated technique for the measurement of the plasma glutathione reductase activity and determination of reference limits for a healthy population
  11. Is osteopontin stable in plasma and serum?
  12. Evidence-based approach to reducing perceived wasteful practices in laboratory medicine
  13. Masthead
  14. Masthead
  15. Editorials
  16. Testing volume is not synonymous of cost, value and efficacy in laboratory diagnostics
  17. Lessons from controversy: biomarkers evaluation
  18. Commercial immunoassays in biomarkers studies: researchers beware!1)
  19. Trials and tribulations in lupus anticoagulant testing
  20. Reviews
  21. Mass spectrometry: a revolution in clinical microbiology?
  22. Chronic Chagas disease: from basics to laboratory medicine
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  24. Shop for quality or quantity? Volumes and costs in clinical laboratories
  25. Minor improvement of venous blood specimen collection practices in primary health care after a large-scale educational intervention
  26. Evaluation of high resolution gel β2-transferrin for detection of cerebrospinal fluid leak
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