Serum keratan sulfate levels in rheumatoid arthritis: inverse correlation with radiographic staging.

Abstract

To correlate the serum levels of keratan sulfate (KS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with different clinical and radiographic variables. Serum KS levels were measured in 85 patients with RA and 41 age matched controls. Patients with RA were classified according to their disease activity, the presence of rheumatoid factor, the medication prescribed, and to the severity of the joint radiographic changes. Patients with RA had significantly (p < 0.02) higher levels of serum KS compared to the healthy controls. More significantly, there was an inverse correlation of the serum KS levels with the disease activity (p = 0.02) and the severity of the radiographic changes (p = 0.012). Serum KS levels appear to correlate with the severity of articular cartilage damage in RA.