Free radical and antioxidant status in rheumatoid arthritis

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) has long been categorized as a connective tissue disease and an autoimmune disease, but was not generally recognized, until recently, as a disease of oxidative stress. The present study attempted to gain an insight into the overall status of oxidative stress parameters in RA patients.ObjectiveTo assess the free radical and antioxidant status in RA patients.MethodsPatients with RA satisfying the revised 1987 ACR classification criteria were included into group I (n = 60). Group II (n = 60) consisted of age and sex matched normal healthy controls. The free radical and antioxidant status of both groups were determined by a set of 5 parameters viz. serum nitrite, serum nitrate, plasma malondialdehyde, serum protein carbonyl and plasma superoxide dismutase.ResultsA total of 60 RA patients (M : 21; F : 39) with a mean ± SD age of 47.28 ± 11.72 years were included in the present study. The aforementioned parameters of free radical and antioxidant status were assayed and the results compared with those from 60 age and sex matched controls. All parameters were found to be significantly elevated in RA patients compared to the controls.ConclusionThe findings suggest that oxidative stress generated in an inflamed joint can contribute to autoimmune phenomenon and connective tissue destruction in RA. New therapeutic protocols based on correcting oxidative stress levels may prove effective in restricting disease progression and limiting deformities.