C-REACTIVE PROTEIN - THE MOST USEFUL REACTANT OF ACUTE PHASE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Dejan Spasovski; Emilija Sandevska; Ljindita Djemaili Jakupi; Ana Vaslievska; Svetlana Krstevska Balkanov; Aleksandra Pivkova Veljanovska; Maja Jakimovska; Vladimir Mitreski; Nikola Chamurovski; Kujtim Iseini

Dejan Spasovski University Clinic for Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Emilija Sandevska University Clinic for Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Ljindita Djemaili Jakupi University Clinic for Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Ana Vaslievska University Clinic for Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Svetlana Krstevska Balkanov PHI University Clinic for hematology â€“Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Aleksandra Pivkova Veljanovska PHI University Clinic for hematology â€“Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Maja Jakimovska Institute of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ss.Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Vladimir Mitreski PHI Institute of lung disease and tuberculosis, Faculty of Medicine, Ss.Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Nikola Chamurovski PHI Institute of lung disease and tuberculosis, Faculty of Medicine, Ss.Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
Kujtim Iseini PHE Hospital Clinic Tetovo, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the most useful biochemical marker of the acute phase
reactants for the evaluation of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sixty patients with RA were included, 27 of whom were treated with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and methotrexate (MTH).
The control group consisted of 33 patients treated only with NSAIDs due to irregular control. In
the first group, disease activity was evaluated at four-week intervals and in the control group at three-
week intervals, following the scores of the articular indices, complete blood count (CBC), elevated
sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in every patient. In the first group of patients, decreased activity of RA was found in every subsequent control, with a consecutive decrease in the mean values of the scores of the articular indices and statistically significant differences in the four-time intervals.
Considering laboratory parameters, there were statistically significant differences in the mean
values of haemoglobin (Hb), erythrocytes (Er), platelets (Plt), and ESR (p=0.0462, p=0.0076, p= 0.0058,
p= 0.0003). The mean values of CRP did not show statistically significant differences, but the number of
patients who were CRP negative increased (the standard deviation also increased). In the group of patients
treated only with NSAIDs, there were statistically significant differences in the mean values of the scores
of the articular indices, with increases in every subsequent control (in favor ofdisease progression).
There were no statistically significant differences considering CBC, ESR, and CRP (in favor of a
permanently active disease). CRP is the most useful marker in the prospective evaluation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, articular indices, reactants of the acute phase.

https://doi.org/10.55302/JMS2361068s

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