Abstract
Chronic systemic inflammation is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of our study was to investigate association of glucose metabolism and inflammatory markers in a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis free of other metabolic risk factors. Twenty-two premenopausal RA females (11 patients on low-dose GC (<8.5 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent), 11 patients without glucocorticoid therapy) and 15 age- and BMI-matched healthy females underwent the oral glucose tolerance test. The insulin sensitivity indices according Matsuda (ISI(MAT)) and Cederholm (ISI(CED)) as well as HOMA2 %S were calculated. Cytokines, lipid profile, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured in baseline blood samples. Despite elevated interleukin IL-6 and TNF alpha, glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses to oral glucose load as well as ISI(MAT), ISI(CED), PAI-1 and NEFA were comparable in both RA groups and healthy controls. HOMA2 %S correlated with disease activity. In conclusions, low-dose glucocorticoid treatment does not lead to glucose metabolism impairment in RA patients without other metabolic risk factors. Increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity is probably due to a direct effect of systemic inflammation on myocardium and/or blood vessels.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.