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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
14504910 Therapy with infliximab decreases the CD4+CD28- T cell compartment in peripheral blood in 2004 Nov Chronic inflammatory syndromes such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with high frequencies of CD4+CD28- T cells. The number of these cells is genetically determined and may also be a consequence of chronic exposure to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). The aim of this study was to examine whether the reported efficacy of anti-TNFalpha therapy in RA involves a resurgence of T cell populations that re-express CD28. After 36-week therapy with infliximab, a significant decrease in CD4+CD28- T cells in RA patients was observed in comparison with baseline. The results suggest that TNFalpha-neutralizing therapy may restore T cell homeostasis and reduce expansion of the CD28- T cells, which are cytotoxic and may contribute to organ manifestations in RA.
11934965 Bioavailable testosterone in men with rheumatoid arthritis-high frequency of hypogonadism. 2002 Mar OBJECTIVES: To study bioavailable testosterone (T) in men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by determining non-sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)-bound T (NST) under standardized conditions and to investigate if NST is related to disease variables. METHODS: Basal serum concentrations of total T, SHBG and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in 104 men with RA, and the levels of NST as well as the quotient T/SHBG were calculated. The data were compared with those of 99 age-matched healthy men. The results were analysed separately for the age groups 30-49, 50-59 and 60-69 yr. RESULTS: The RA men had lower NST levels than the healthy men in all age groups. T levels and the T/SHBG ratio were lower only in the age group 50-59 yr. SHBG did not differ significantly. LH was significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. Thirty-three of the 104 patients were considered to have hypogonadism compared with seven of the 99 healthy men. The only clinical variable apart from age that had a significant impact on NST was the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). CONCLUSION: Men with RA had lower levels of bioavailable T and a large proportion were considered hypogonadal. The low levels of LH suggested a central origin of the relative hypoandrogenicity.
15570661 Disseminated primary varicella infection during infliximab treatment. 2004 Dec A young man developed a serious disseminated varicella infection, necessitating antiviral treatment, after being treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
15200343 Biological agents for rheumatoid arthritis: targeting both physical function and structura 2004 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease of multifactorial aetiology. The pivotal role of proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of synovitis has been demonstrated in basic research since the late 1980s and in clinical research since the early 1990s. Biological agents are monoclonal antibodies or recombinant forms of natural inhibitory molecules which selectively interact with molecules or cell receptors affecting immune or inflammatory processes. In RA, etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab are currently available to target tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and an interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist is available to target IL-1 activity. Trials have shown benefits as monotherapy, although the best results for disease control are seen when biological agents are coadministered with methotrexate. The use of these agents in clinical trials and in practice has resulted in dramatic improvements in RA disease control, and delay and prevention of radiographic damage. The remarkable benefits to patients in well-being, quality of life and function, and the speed of onset of action are reminiscent of the early days of corticosteroid use. Ten years after the first clinical trials of anti-TNF therapies, the adverse effect profile is evolving and includes, for anti-TNF therapy, an increased risk of infections associated with immune suppression, injection and infusion reactions, and a risk of drug induced autoimmune syndromes such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Where these drugs are affordable, the prognosis of individuals for control of severe RA is better than ever before. This manuscript summarises the clinical trial results and post-marketing information regarding the biological agents currently in use for RA.
15468351 Can gold therapy be used more safely in rheumatoid arthritis? Adverse drug reactions are m 2004 Oct OBJECTIVE: . To investigate whether features associated with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are predictive of adverse drug reactions (ADR) to gold salts, independent of HLA-DR3 status. METHODS: A cohort of patients with RA (n = 41) who developed thrombocytopenia (platelets < 100 10(6)/l) or proteinuria (> 1.0 g/24 h) upon treatment with gold sodium thiomalate was identified from patient records and matched for age, sex, and disease duration with 41 RA controls treated with gold without development of ADR. A second group of 161 random RA patients that had received gold therapy for at least as long without development of an ADR was also compared. All patients were typed for HLA-DRB1, and the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and nodules before initiation of therapy was recorded. Association of clinical or genetic factors with ADR was investigated using the McNemar test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients with ADR were more likely to have nodular disease than their matched controls (51.3% vs 25.6%; odds ratio, OR = 3.0, p = 0.02) and more likely to be HLA-DR3 positive (41.2% vs 17.6%; OR = 3.0, p = 0.045). No difference between the groups was found for RF or ANA. Nodular disease was associated with development of ADR independently of HLA-DR3, although a combination of both factors significantly increased the likelihood of an ADR. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that nodular disease may be a predictor of gold-induced ADR independent of HLA-DR3.
15334430 Impact of fatigue on health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis. 2004 Aug 15 OBJECTIVE: To multidimensionally assess fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the impact of fatigue on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS: The study was conducted in 1999 among 490 RA patients with varying disease duration. Fatigue was measured with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) and HRQOL with a validated Dutch version of the RAND 36-Item Health Survey. We evaluated the impact of fatigue on HRQOL by multiple linear regression analyses taking into account RA-related pain and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Different aspects of fatigue selectively explained different dimensions of HRQOL. The MFI-20 was entered last to the linear regression models, resulting in an additional increase of explained variance of 1% (mental health) to 14% (vitality). CONCLUSION: The multidimensional portrayal of RA-related fatigue can be used to develop intervention strategies targeted to specific aspects of fatigue. Fatigue, supplementary to RA-related pain and depressive symptoms, appears to be a feasible and treatable target in the clinical management of RA to increase HRQOL.
11840437 How to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis early: a prediction model for persistent (erosive) ar 2002 Feb OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical model for the prediction, at the first visit, of 3 forms of arthritis outcome: self-limiting, persistent nonerosive, and persistent erosive arthritis. METHODS: A standardized diagnostic evaluation was performed on 524 consecutive, newly referred patients with early arthritis. Potentially diagnostic determinants obtained at the first visit from the patient's history, physical examination, and blood and imaging testing were entered in a logistic regression analysis. Arthritis outcome was recorded at 2 years' followup. The discriminative ability of the model was expressed as a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: The developed prediction model consisted of 7 variables: symptom duration at first visit, morning stiffness for > or =1 hour, arthritis in > or =3 joints, bilateral compression pain in the metatarsophalangeal joints, rheumatoid factor positivity, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positivity, and the presence of erosions (hands/feet). Application of the model to an individual patient resulted in 3 clinically relevant predictive values: one for self-limiting arthritis, one for persistent nonerosive arthritis, and one for persistent erosive arthritis. The ROC AUC of the model was 0.84 (SE 0.02) for discrimination between self-limiting and persistent arthritis, and 0.91 (SE 0.02) for discrimination between persistent nonerosive and persistent erosive arthritis, whereas the discriminative ability of the American College of Rheumatology 1987 classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis was significantly lower, with ROC AUC values of 0.78 (SE 0.02) and 0.79 (SE 0.03), respectively. CONCLUSION: A clinical prediction model was developed with an excellent ability to discriminate, at the first visit, between 3 forms of arthritis outcome. Validation in other early arthritis clinics is necessary.
15195208 Bone density in rheumatoid arthritis. 2004 Jun OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the bone mineral density (BMD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to study the effect of disease activity and steroid therapy on BMD. METHODS: Thirty Saudi female patients with RA and 10 Saudi healthy females matched for age as controls were the material of this work. Patients were attending the out-patient clinic of Makkah Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Center, Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between November 2002 and July 2003. All patients were subjected to clinical assessment and laboratory investigations. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy x-ray (DXA) in the lumbar spine at L2-4 and in the femoral bone (femoral neck, ward's triangle and trochanteric). RESULTS: The results of our study showed a significant decrease in BMD in RA patients compared with healthy controls (spine = 0.863 +/-2.29 versus 1.289 +/- 0.54 g/cm2, p<0.05; total femoral = 0.755 +/-0.27 versus 1.06 +/-0.49 g/cm2, p<0.05; femoral neck = 0.725 +/-0.25 versus 1.008 +/-0.482 g/cm2, p<0.05; ward s triangle = 0.586 +/-0.21 versus 0.909 +/-0.43 g/cm2, p<0.05 and trochanteric = 0.607 +/-0.225 versus 0.898 +/-0.419 g/cm2, p<0.05). The decreased BMD correlated significantly with the impairment of functional activity, increased disease activity and with the use of steroids. There was no correlation between the decreased BMD and the body weight, height, age and the duration of the disease. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the impairment functional activity, increased disease activity and the use of steroids for long periods are the major determinants of BMD of both spinal and femoral bone in rheumatoid patients.
14673964 Validation of a Japanese version of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire in 3,763 2003 Dec 15 OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a self-administered instrument for measuring functional status in Japanese-speaking rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHODS: We translated the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) into Japanese (original HAQ), and then made a tentative Japanese version of the HAQ (J-HAQ) with culturally appropriate modifications of the arising, eating, and reach category questions. The questionnaire was then administered to 3,763 RA patients (82.6% female; mean age 58.0 years; mean onset age 47.4 years; mean disease duration 10.5 years). RESULTS: This instrument showed excellent internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.927), with a mean interitem correlation of 0.60. For the arising category question, the J-HAQ asks about arising from a futon in addition to a bed because futons are still common in Japanese culture. Arising from a futon is generally more difficult for disabled individuals than is arising from a bed, so the arising score was higher in the J-HAQ (mean score 0.82) than in the original HAQ (0.48). The average scores for the eating and reach categories were virtually identical for the original HAQ and the J-HAQ, with correlation coefficients of 0.979 and 0.926, respectively. Thus, the overall disability index (average of the scores for all functional areas) was higher in the J-HAQ (0.81) than in the original HAQ (0.76), although the correlation coefficient was high (0.993). The test-retest reliability value (0.92), studied at a 1-week interval, revealed identical disability index scores measured on the 2 occasions. CONCLUSION: The final version of the J-HAQ is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring functional status in Japanese-speaking RA patients.
15087798 Atlantoaxial instability in neck retraction and protrusion positions in patients with rheu 2004 Apr 1 STUDY DESIGN: Radiographic analysis of the upper cervical spine was performed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had C1-C2 instability. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether neck retraction or neck protrusion movements can cause C1-C2 subluxation in patients with C1-C2 instability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cervical protrusion is the position where the head is maximally translated anteriorly with zero sagittal rotation, and this position has been shown to produce maximal C1-C2 extension. In contrast, cervical retraction is the position where the head is maximally translated posteriorly, and this position produces maximal C1-C2 flexion. To date, there have been no studies evaluating the effects of these two positions on C1-C2 status in patients with C1-C2 instability. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with rheumatoid arthritis who showed an atlantodental interval of at least 5 mm during neck flexion were evaluated in this study. These patients were instructed to actively hold the neck in protrusion and retraction positions, as well as in flexion and extension positions. Lateral cervical radiographs were taken to measure the C1-C2 angle and the atlantodental interval in the sagittal plane in each position. RESULTS: Retraction produced both maximal C1-C2 flexion and anterior C1-C2 subluxation, of a degree just the same as that produced by cervical flexion. Protrusion reversely produced maximal C1-C2 extension. However, 9 of 24 patients exhibited C1-C2 subluxation even in this protrusion position, in marked contrast to the cervical extension position in which only 2 of 24 patients showed C1-C2 subluxation. The patients who showed C1-C2 subluxation in the protrusion position tended to have more severe C1-C2 instability and less capacity for C1-C2 extension than the other patients who achieved a reduction of C1-C2 in the protrusion position. CONCLUSION: In patients with C1-C2 instability, not only cervical flexion but also cervical retraction constantly led to both maximal C1-C2 flexion and subluxation. In some patients with severe C1-C2 instability, protrusion also resulted in C1-C2 subluxation, even though the C1-C2 was maximally extended.
15245831 Models of adjustment to chronic illness: using the example of rheumatoid arthritis. 2004 Aug There are a number of theoretical frameworks that attempt to explain how individuals may adjust to threats to health and serious physical illness. The three major paradigms that attempt to organize key components of health and adaptation to illness include the following: the biomedical model which emphasizes disease; psychological models of adaptation to illness; and biopsychosocial models with the latter two emphasizing health, functioning, and well-being. Each of these three major paradigms, including biomedical, psychosocial, and biopsychosocial frameworks, is discussed and critiqued in turn, and contributions and theoretical issues in terms of adjustment to chronic illness, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are highlighted. Furthermore, a biopsychosocial framework for conceptualizing adjustment to physical illness is proposed that incorporates elements from key existing biomedical and psychosocial models of adaptation to chronic physical health issues.
15473382 [Arthritides in the elderly]. 2004 Sep The arthritides of the elderly comprise a fairly heterogeneous group of diseases. They include conditions that affect exclusively or predominantly the elderly (such as, for instance, remitting seronegative symmetric synovitis with pitting edema) and conditions affecting any age group, but which can present with peculiar features in the elderly, like rheumatoid arthritis and the seronegative arthropathies. Therefore, in order to arrive at a correct diagnosis, a knowledge of the specific features of these disorders is required. In addition, the treatment of elderly patients differs from that of other age groups in that elderly subjects appear to have an increased susceptibility to adverse reactions. This susceptibility is related both to the different metabolism of aged subjects, including the impairment of the renal function, and to the multiple therapies that such subjects often receive. In view of the ever increasing elderly population in the western world, all physicians, over and beyond the limited circle of rheumatologists, should be knowlegeable about the principles of diagnosing and treating senile arthritis.
15168147 The urinary excretion of pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline during rheumatoid arthritis th 2004 Jun Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that causes inflammation and joint destruction. As a result of pathological destruction in bone and cartilage, crosslinks in collagen are resorbed more rapidly. This causes a rise in circulating collagen crosslink levels and their urinary excretion. In RA, apart from the crosslink resorption at the site of inflamed joints, there may be increased resorption due to general bone loss associated with disease activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of therapy with infliximab on urinary excretion of pyridinoline (PYD) and deoxypyridinoline (DPYR) as a markers of collagen degradation and its correlation with clinical and biochemical parameters of disease activity. Seventeen patients with active rheumatoid arthritis treated with infliximab were recruited into the study. The therapy resulted in the reduction in the symptoms of RA and urinary excretion of PYD and DPYR. The urinary excretion of PYD correlated with a number of swollen joints, morning stiffness, CRP and ESR. The urinary excretion of DPYR correlated during infliximab therapy with the number of swollen and tender joints and morning stiffness. The measurement of urinary excretion of PYR and DPYR may give insight into bone metabolism and help us to better understand the actual changes in bone and cartilage caused by RA and its treatment.
15231509 Prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and anti-keratin antibodies in patients wi 2005 Jan OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and anti-keratin antibodies (AKA) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. METHODS: 149 patients with a diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome according to the European/American consensus criteria were recruited from three French medical centres. The presence of anti-CCP was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and of AKA antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence. Radiographs of hands and feet were evaluated at the time of anti-CCP analysis. RESULTS: Six patients with radiological erosions and nine patients with non-erosive arthritis fulfilling ACR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis were thought to have rheumatoid arthritis and secondary Sjögren's syndrome, while 134 were considered to have primary Sjögren's syndrome (mean (SD) disease duration, 11.1 (6.6) years). Of these, 80 tested positive for IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) (59%), 10 (7.5%) for anti-CCP, 7 (5.2%) for AKA, and 5 (3.7%) for both anti-CCP and AKA. There was no difference in clinical and biological features, including prevalence of RF, between anti-CCP positive and negative patients. The nine Sjögren patients with non-erosive arthritis, fulfilling ACR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis, were all CCP positive. Their response to disease modifying antirheumatic drugs could be different from classical rheumatoid patients. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome are negative for AKA and anti-CCP, but positive test results should not rule out this diagnosis. Anti-CCP positive patients, who may be prone to developing rheumatoid arthritis, require cautious clinical and radiographic follow up.
12064829 Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Tucumán, Argentina. 2002 Jun OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tucumán, Argentina. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in Tucumán province in northwest Argentina. Outpatient and hospitalization medical records for all patients with RA aged > or = 16 years were reviewed. Diagnosis was by 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Prevalence rates, with 95% CI, were calculated using the number of San Miguel de Tucumán residents who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria for RA as numerator, and the city population aged > or = 16 as denominator. Crude and age-specific prevalence rates were calculated as number of cases/1,000 inhabitants. RESULTS: We identified 695 cases of RA. Sex-specific and overall prevalence rates (per 1,000) were 1.97 (95% CI 1.8-2) for all, 0.6 (95% CI 0.49-0.73) for men, 3.2 (95% CI 2.9-3.5) for women. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of RA is low in residents of Tucumán, Argentina, and comparable with rates observed in epidemiological surveys from Southern European countries.
12955197 [Total elbow arthroplasty. Indications, operative technique and results after implantation 2003 Aug Total elbow arthroplasty has become a reliable treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis as well as primary or posttraumatic arthrosis. The aim of this study is to present the indications, operative technique and results for the implantation of an Acclaim elbow prosthesis. Case reports are given to demonstrate the indications for prosthesis implantation. Furthermore, the follow-up results are reported for 65 patients after implantation of an Acclaim prosthesis. Pre- and postoperative pain were evaluated using the visual analogue scale. The pain level decreased from 8.0 to 2.3 postoperatively. After implantation of an elbow prosthesis, there was a significant improvement in the range of motion. The mean flexion increased from 103 degrees preoperatively to 140 degrees postoperatively. An increase of 10 degrees was found for both supination and pronation. Complications included temporary ulnary nerve irritation in seven patients, intraoperative fractures in four cases and postoperative elbow dislocation in one case. In conclusion, total elbow arthroplasty results in a reduction of pain and an improvement in elbow movement. However, selection of the right patient is important. Patients are advised not to lift heavy objects or to perform hard physical work. If patients' compliance can not be ensured preoperatively, no total elbow arthroplasty should be performed.
12010608 Lessons from animal models of arthritis. 2002 Jun There is increasing thought that autoantibodies to systemic self-antigens may provide a principal effector mechanism for the initiation and propagation of joint inflammation. The recent identification of arthritis transfer with antibodies to the self-antigen glucose-6-phosphate isomerase has boosted this interest. Fc receptor involvement in arthritis has been evaluated, identifying pro-inflammatory and inhibitory Fc gamma receptor subtypes, and demonstrating a link between Fc gamma receptor expression, cytokine production, cartilage destruction, and mouse strain susceptibility to immune complex arthritis. Further proof of a key role of interleukin (IL)-1 in arthritis was provided by the occurrence of spontaneous arthritis in IL-1 receptor antagonist knockout mice and elicitation of full-blown arthritis in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-deficient mice. IL-18 (part of the IL-1 family) is a crucial upstream cytokine that, with IL-12, induces IL-1 and TNF and promotes arthritis and T-cell differentiation. IL-18 neutralization improved arthritis outcome, but its central role in host defense against bacterial infections may complicate therapeutic IL-18 targeting. T helper 1 (Th1) cells may aggravate arthritis and joint destruction through the production of IL-17, which shows joint destructive potential independent of IL-1. Studies have also focused on the control of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand, modulation with IL-4, and regulation of downstream mediators in tissue destruction. Gene therapeutic approaches proved efficacious and will provide future ways to control arthritis.
12509617 Infrared spectroscopy: shedding light on synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 2003 Jan OBJECTIVES: It is difficult to determine the extent of synovial involvement early in the course of rheumatoid arthritis. A spectroscopic technique was used to characterize the synovium of the small finger joints in both early and late rheumatoid arthritis. This synovium was also compared against normal joints. METHODS: Near-infrared spectroscopy assesses the absorption of near-infrared light by specific joints, giving a characteristic "fingerprint" of the properties of the underlying tissues. Triple measurements by infrared spectroscopy were taken at the bilateral second and third metacarpophalangeal joints. Multivariate analysis was applied. RESULTS: Analysis was able to demonstrate relationships between the specific sources of spectral variation and joint tenderness or swelling as well as radiographic damage. Further use of multivariate analysis allowed recognition of the spectral patterns seen in early disease vs late rheumatoid arthritis and correct classification of over 74% of the joints. CONCLUSIONS: The spectral regions where differences occurred were in the absorption bands related to tissue oxygenation status, allowing the provocative implication that this technique could be detecting ischaemic changes within the joint. Near-infrared spectroscopy may thus be able to provide us with some information about the biochemical changes associated with synovitis.
12926656 Reduced burden of disease and improved outcome of patients with rheumatoid factor positive 2003 Aug Our objective was to determine outcome and burden of disease in a 10 year study of patients with rheumatoid factor positive rheumatoid arthritis (RF+ RA) compared with study dropouts. Three hundred and one consecutive subjects with disease duration of 3-255 months at presentation were enrolled. The acute (as measured by C-reactive protein, CRP) and chronic (by erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR) phases of RF+ RA were suppressed by pulse intravenous (IV) combination of low dose methylprednisolone (MPS) + cyclophosphamide (CYC) for 3 consecutive days and weekly intravenous methotrexate (MTX) with simultaneous oral cyclosporine (CSA) + mycophenolate mofetil (MPM). After achieving negative CRP and ESR < 40 mm/h, IV therapy was tapered and switched to oral low dose MTX+CSA+MPM until negative CRP titer and ESR < 25 mm/h (men < 15 mm) Westergren were achieved. American Rheumatism Association (ARA) functional classification measured disability. Dropouts did not complete the study for various reasons. At baseline, cases and dropouts were comparable in age and sex distribution, including mean age, disease duration, disease features, and associated conditions. Mortality in 274 cases was 2.9% versus 25.9% in dropouts. ARA functional class in cases decreased from 3.2 + 0.7 to 1.4 + 0.3 and in dropouts was 3.2 + 0.6 at baseline versus 3.5 + 0.5 at outcome. Disability of dropouts was significantly worse compared with cases. In dropouts, more associated conditions occurred than in cases. The burden of disease and outcomes were significantly worse in dropouts compared with cases.
12879774 [Serum interleukin 6 (il-6A) concentration correlates with matrix metalloproteinases and t 2003 Feb We explored whether the serum concentration of interleukin 6 (IL-6) is associated with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Serum levels of IL-6, interstitial collagenase (MMP-1), stromelysin-1 (MMP-3), gelatinase B (MMP-9), TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were assessed with an ELISA technique in 30 RA patients. We observed the association between IL-6 and MMP-1 (p < 0.001), MMP-3 (p < 0.05), MMP-9 (p < 0.001), TIMP-1 (p < 0.01) and TIMP-2 (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum IL-6, measured MMPs and TIMP-1 correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein plasma level and the number of swollen joints. We suggest that assessing the serum IL-6, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels may be helpful in the prediction of the RA activity.