sE‐selectin for stratifying outcome in rheumatoid arthritis |
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Authors: | Karl Egerer Julia Hertzer Eugen Feist Anja Albrecht Paul Eberhard Rudolph Thomas Drner Gerd‐Rüdiger Burmester |
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Institution: | Karl Egerer,Julia Hertzer,Eugen Feist,Anja Albrecht,Paul Eberhard Rudolph,Thomas Dörner,Gerd‐Rüdiger Burmester |
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Abstract: | Objectives To determine the usefulness of sE‐selectin as a marker for early diagnosis and stratification of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods We investigated several markers of disease activity, including circulating adhesion molecules and other standard laboratory tests, in a 2–3 year followup analysis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Results The mean ± SD levels of sE‐selectin (91.68 ± 31.8 ng/ml versus 49.83 ± 14.76 ng/ml) and rheumatoid factor (375.7 ± 394.4 U versus 44.66 ± 37.63 U) were strongly elevated in severe (n = 15) versus mild (n = 7) courses of disease. Statistical calculation of mean and standard deviation revealed that sE‐selectin represents a highly significant marker for the presence of persistent and aggressive disease over time, regardless of therapeutic intervention and observation time points (P = 0.0004). Notably, regression analysis identified constant values for all parameters analyzed and, therefore, a stable course of the disease could be predicted from the beginning. Conclusion sE‐selectin appears to be a powerful marker to predict the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. |
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Keywords: | sE‐selectin Rheumatoid arthritis Stratifying outcome |
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