C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio: A Novel Inflammatory Marker and Disease Activity Sign in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Erkut Onder ◽  
Nurdan Orucoglu ◽  
Firat Omar ◽  
Abdullah Canataroglu

Abstract Objective A novel inflammation-based score, C-reactive protein (CRP)-to-albumin ratio (CAR), has been shown to have an association with the inflammatory status in several diseases. We aimed to analyse the association between CAR and disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine the cut-off value of CAR in early and established RA. Methods A total of 177 patients with RA and 111 age and gender-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Cases with a disease duration of less than 1 year were classified as early RA. Serum albumin, CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28-ESR), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores were recorded. Results CAR was 2.44 (0.21–30.83) in the RA group and 0.45 (0.21–10.47) in the control group (p<0.001). Eighty-seven (49.15%) of the RA cases were classified as early RA. The analyses indicated that the ESR, CRP and CAR values were higher in patients with early RA than in those with established RA and controls. CAR was correlated with albumin, CRP, ESH, DAS-28 and HAQ scores in both early RA and established RA groups. The receiver operating characteristic curves revealed a CAR cut-off value of 2.67 (80% sensitivity and 85% specificity) and 1.63 (77% sensitivity and 72% specificity) for the prediction of early and established RA, respectively. Conclusion CAR, a formulated ratio, has been described as a predictor for disease activity in patients with early RA as well as in those with established RA. However, CAR has higher sensitivity and specificity for early RA than for established RA.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1137.1-1138
Author(s):  
Z. Zhong ◽  
Y. Huang ◽  
Q. Huang ◽  
T. LI

Background:C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) has emerged as a significant biomarker to evaluate and predict systemic inflammation[1]. However, the role of CAR in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) remains unknown.Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between CAR and disease activity of axSpA.Methods:A total of 241 patients and 61 healthy controls from Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital from December 2015 to August 2019 were retrospectively recruited in this study. Patients were divided into two groups, with 176 patients in remission group (BASDAI<4) and 65 patients in active group (BASDAI≥4). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB), CAR, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were detected. The correlations between CAR, NLR, PLR, MLR and disease activity were analyzed by the Spearman’s correlations analysis. Receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to evaluate the discriminative utility of these parameters for disease activity of axSpA. Furthermore, the evaluation of the risk factors of axSpA was conducted using binary logistic regression analysis.Results:CAR, ESR, CRP, NLR, PLR and MLR in axSpA patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05 for each), while ALB was significantly lower (p<0.001). Similarly, CAR in remission group was higher than that in control group (p<0.001) and was lower than that in active group (p<0.001). Besides, there were significantly positive correlations between CAR and ESR (r=0.702, P<0.001), CRP (r=0.996, P<0.001), BASDAI (r=0.329, p<0.001) and BASFI (r=0.328, P<0.001). Furthermore, ROC suggested that the area under the curve (AUC) of CAR was 0.701, which was the highest. The optimal cutoff point of CAR was 0.3644, with sensitivity and specificity of 58.5% and 79.0%. Logistic analysis results revealed that elevated CAR and MLR were independent risk factors for axSpA (EXP (B) =15.546, 95%CI: 5.898-40.979, P<0.001; EXP (B) =2.206, 95%CI: 1.077-4.519, P=0.031, respectively).Conclusion:CAR was increased in axSpA patients especially in active group, and significantly correlated with disease activity. CAR may serve as a novel inflammatory marker of monitoring disease activity in patients with axSpA.References:[1]He, Y., et al., Correlation between albumin to fibrinogen ratio, C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and Th17 cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Chim Acta, 2020. 500: p. 149-154.Fig 1.ROC curve analysis of the discriminative values of the parameters for disease activity of axSpATable 1.Discriminative values of the parameters for disease activity of axSpAAUC95% CIOptimal cutoff pointSpecificitySensitivityCAR0.7010.623-0.7780.364479.0%58.5%NLR0.4500.365-0.5343.16584.1%18.5%PLR0.5280.448-0.608127.38542.6%69.2%MLR0.4680.384-0.5530.38592.6%16.9%ESR0.6850.612-0.75815.552.3%76.9%CRP0.6910.614-0.76910.8571.6%63.1%CAR, C-reactive protein to albumin ratio; NLR, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio; PLR, platelet-lymphocyte ratio; MLR, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio; CRP, C reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; AUC, areas under the ROC curveDisclosure of Interests:None declared


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana María Heredia-P ◽  
Gloria Inés Lafaurie ◽  
Wilson Bautista-Molano ◽  
Tamy Goretty Trujillo ◽  
Philippe Chalem-Choueka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease are inter-related conditions. However, factors predictive of periodontal disease progression in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) are lacking. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the progression of clinical attachment loss (CAL) in interproximal dental sites of eRA patients. Methods Twenty-eight eRA patients were evaluated for the progression of CAL at 280 interproximal dental sites at 1 year of follow-up. Markers of RA activity (rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein), a marker of bone resorption (Dickkopf-related protein 1), Disease Activity Score 28 and Simple Disease Activity Index were included as potential systemic predictive factors. Plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, clinical attachment level and Dickkopf-related protein 1 in crevicular fluid at baseline were included as potential local predictive factors. Data were analysed in a hierarchical structure using generalised linear mixed models for progression at each site (> 2 mm) during follow-up. Results C-reactive protein level was the most important predictive systemic factor for the progression of CAL. The mean CAL and a high degree of gingival inflammation in interproximal sites at baseline were important predictive local factors (p <  0.0001). Patients who received combined treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and corticosteroids exhibited less CAL (p <  0.0001). The predictive value of the generalised linear mixed model for progression was 85%. Conclusions Systemic factors, including RA disease activity and baseline periodontal condition, were associated with periodontal progression. Pharmacological treatment may affect periodontal progression in patients with early RA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 874-882
Author(s):  
Inbal Haya Shafran ◽  
Farideh Alasti ◽  
Josef S Smolen ◽  
Daniel Aletaha

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterised by clinical joint swelling and elevation of acute phase reactant levels, typically measured by the C-reactive protein (CRP). Clinical and inflammatory responses are usually concordant, except for inhibition of IL-6, which often disproportionally reduces the CRP due to direct inhibition of its hepatic production. We investigated whether pre-treatment CRP is a useful marker that can guide a preferential treatment choice towards IL-6 inhibition.MethodsData of 1126 treatment courses with tocilizumab (TCZ; early RA), 250 courses of rituximab (RTX; established RA) and 249 courses of methotrexate (MTX; established RA) were analysed. We compared clinical disease activity index (CDAI) values and change along 24 weeks’ follow-up to CRP values at baseline or its early change. We validated the results using data from a separate TCZ trial in early RA.ResultsCRP levels in the TCZ group on average dropped by 74% within 4 weeks. Patients who attained CDAI remission at 24 weeks on TCZ had the highest baseline CRP levels while patients in high disease activity had the lowest; this association was reverse in the RTX and MTX groups. TCZ patients who achieved remission at 24 weeks showed the largest reductions of CRP levels by week 4 compared with those reaching higher disease activity states. Early CRP non-response was indicative of a risk of not achieving clinical treatment goals (p=0.038).ConclusionBaseline CRP appears to have a positive association with reaching the therapeutic target on TCZ treatment, but is a negative predictor for RTX and MTX. Patients on TCZ without an early CRP response have a lower chance of achieving remission. CRP and its early course may inform, to some extent, the estimation of potential therapeutic success in patients with RA.


2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 828-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
AMAL M. El-BARBARY ◽  
ELHAM M. KASSEM ◽  
MERVAT A.S. El-SERGANY ◽  
SALWA A-M. ESSA ◽  
MOHAMED A. ELTOMEY

Objective.To investigate anti-modified citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including correlation with disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors, compared with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP3).Methods.Anti-MCV and anti-CCP3 concentrations were measured in 100 patients with early RA and 100 healthy controls at baseline to determine sensitivity and specificity. Patients received methotrexate (MTX) 0.2 mg/kg/week plus prednisone 10 mg/day. Anti-MCV, anti-CCP3, rheumatoid factor (RF), Disease Activity Score for 28 joints (DAS-28), lipid profile, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein assay (hsCRP), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) were measured before and after 12 months of treatment.Results.The sensitivity and specificity for anti-MCV antibody were 75% and 90%, respectively, and for anti-CCP3 antibody 71% and 96%. Serum anti-MCV and serum anti-CCP3 levels at baseline were positively correlated with hsCRP, IL-6, HOMA-IR index, serum RF levels (p < 0.001), and cIMT (p < 0.05). Serum anti-MCV was positively correlated with serum anti-CCP3 levels. There were significant positive correlations between the percentage of changes of anti-MCV levels versus changes in DAS-28, ESR, hsCRP, atherogenic ratios (TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C), apolipoprotein A-I, IL-6, TNF-α, HOMA-IR index, and cIMT. These correlations were not found between changes in anti-CCP3 levels compared to clinical, laboratory, and radiological variables.Conclusion.Anti-MCV was as sensitive as anti-CCP3 in diagnosing early RA. Anti-MCV testing appears to be useful for monitoring associated subclinical atherosclerosis in early RA.


2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragan Vasiljevic ◽  
Aleksandra Tomic-Lucic ◽  
Sandra Zivanovic ◽  
Mirjana Milosavljevic ◽  
Snezana Radovanovic ◽  
...  

Abstract In this study, we investigated the concentration of serum homocysteine (Hcy) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with the control group and the connection between homocysteine and parameters of inflammation and disease activity. Sixty RA patients and 20 healthy controls were included in the study, and clinical examination and investigation were performed during which disease activity was assessed. Peripheral blood samples were used for all of the assays. Levels of Hcy were 33% higher in the RA patients than in the control subjects (mean +/− SD 11.79±3.72 μmol/L versus 8.90±1.38 μmol/L; p< 0.01). A significant correlation was found between parameters of inflammation (C-reactive protein) and homocysteine in patients (r=0.322, p=0.012). Patients with high disease activity had a significantly greater increase in homocysteine (p<0.05). An increase in plasma homocysteine in RA patients is related to the parameters of inflammation and disease activity. Elevated Hcy levels occur commonly in patients with RA and may explain some of the increased cardiovascular mortality seen in RA patients.


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