DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i04.045

Pages: 1338-1345

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation and oxidative damage. Active rheumatoid arthritis patients are susceptible to dyslipidaemia, which may explain the enhanced free radicals found within the rheumatoid synovium and in the plasma of RA patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the lipid profile and vitamin E levels in patients with RA & to compare it with healthy matched controls. Levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDLc), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDLc), atherogenic index and vitamin E were determined in 50 diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients who were attending Rheumatic Clinic, RIMS Hospital between April 2011 to March 2012. These samples were compared with 30 healthy age and sex matched subjects who were free from any systemic diseases were taken as control. The mean ± SD of concentration of TC, LDL and TG in study group were 276.9±31.84 mg/dl, 220.96±34.19 mg/dl and 154.54±17.01 mg/dl respectively which found to be significantly higher (P < 0.001) when compared with their respective controls (TC 113.6±13.73 mg/dl, LDL 36.2±15.59 mg/dl and TG 92.93±22.77 mg/dl). There was a negative correlation between foresaid atherogenic lipid parameters with high density lipoprotein (HDL) and serum vitamin E level. Significant decrease (P < 0.001) of HDL and vitamin E levels were observed among RA cases compared to controls. Rheumatoid arthritis patients have a considerably more atherogenic lipid profile index and less vitamin E levels than matched controls.