Serum cathepsin S and cystatin C: relationship to subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To assess whether serum cathepsin S and cystatin C, two novel markers of cardiovascular disease risk, are associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS:

Serum cystatin C and cathepsin S levels, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaques were assessed in a cross-sectional study involving 178 RA patients.

RESULTS:

An association between disease activity scores with higher levels of cystatin C, but not with cathepsin S, was found. Cystatin C levels were also associated with cIMT in the patient subgroup included in the higher quartile of Cimt (OR 1.31, 95%CI [1.00-1.72], p=0.04) after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, age and sex. An association between serum cystatin C levels and carotid plaques was also found in the univariate analysis (OR 1.37, 95%CI [1.06-1.76], p=0.02). However, this significant association was lost after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and age. Cathepsin S was not associated with cIMT or carotid plaques.

CONCLUSIONS:

High cystatin C serum levels identify a subgroup of RA patients with a high risk of subclinical atherosclerotic disease.

• Authors: Beatriz Tejera-Segura, Antonia M de Vera-González, Raquel López-Mejías, Miguel A González-Gay, Ivan Ferraz-Amaro
• Journal: Clinical and experimental rheumatology (Clin Exp Rheumatol) 2016 Mar-Apr Vol. 34 Issue 2 Pg. 230-5 ISSN: 0392-856X [Print] Italy
• PMID: 26941186 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cystatin C
• Cathepsins
• cathepsin S

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (blood, complications)
• Carotid Artery Diseases (etiology)
• Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
• Cathepsins (blood)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Cystatin C (blood)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged