Reumatizam, Vol. 63 No. 2, 2016.
Professional paper
EFFECT OF DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS ON THE VALUES OF APOLIPOPROTEIN A-1 AND ACUTE PHASE REACTANTS IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Husni Ismaili
Suada Mulić-Bačić
Necmedin Karemani
Nikola Orovčanec
Abstract
In this observational study we examined the impact of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS) on the
disease activity as well as the values of acute phase reactants and the apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1) in patients with active
rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eighty patients with active RA and newly discovered RA patients who meet the American
Rheumatology Association (ARA) 1987 revised criteria were treated with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs –
DMARDs according to the standard protocol of everyday clinical practice. At 6 and 12 months of treatment the patients
achieved a signifi cant decrease in the disease activity score 28 (DAS28), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR) values. On the other hand, the levels of Apo A-1, which were low at baseline, were signifi -
cantly higher. In conclusion, the use of DMARDs in patients with RA reduced disease activity and infl ammation, but
also had a benefi cial eff ect in increasing the levels of atheroprotective Apo A-1 lipoprotein, which can reduce CV risks
in these patients.
Keywords
Arthritis, rheumatoid – drug therapy; Antirheumatic agents – pharmacology, therapeutic use; Apolipoprotein A-1 – blood; Blood sedimentation; C-reactive protein – analysis; Severity of illness index; Atherosclerosis – metabolism, prevention and control
Hrčak ID:
182818
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2016.
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