Zhu Chunyan, Li Yushi, Wang Honglei, Yang Xiaomei, Wang Qingqing
Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Dongying People's Hospital (Dongying Hospital of Shandong Provincial Hospital Group) Dongying 257091, Shandong, China.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dongying People's Hospital (Dongying Hospital of Shandong Provincial Hospital Group) Dongying 257091, Shandong, China.
Am J Transl Res. 2025 May 15;17(5):3252-3260. doi: 10.62347/XGUP6698. eCollection 2025.
Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) have emerged as promising biomarkers for diagnosing and managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aims to synthesize current evidence through a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of serum Gal-1 and Gal-3 as biomarkers for monitoring disease severity and predicting clinical outcomes in RA patients.
We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, including studies published up to March 2024. Eleven observational studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. The risk of bias in these studies was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Data synthesis and meta-analysis were performed using RevMan 5.3 software, with the study protocol registered at INPLASY (ID: 202460103).
The meta-analysis included 1213 participants (comprising 809 RA patients and 404 healthy controls) from 11 studies. Serum levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 were significantly higher in RA patients compared to controls (MD=25.09 ng/ml, 95% CI: 24.18-26.00 ng/ml, P<0.00001; MD=30.51 ng/ml, 95% CI: 29.10-31.93 ng/ml, P<0.00001). Moreover, Gal-1 levels exhibited a positive correlation with RA disease activity markers, such as the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28). The analysis demonstrated a correlation coefficient of r=0.24 (95% CI: 0.14-0.33, P<0.00001) between Gal-1 and RA disease activity, highlighting a notable association. Similarly, Gal-3 showed significant positive correlations with ESR (r=0.29, 95% CI: 0.18-0.40, P<0.00001), DAS28 (r=0.25, 95% CI: 0.13-0.37, P<0.00001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (r=0.15, 95% CI: 0.05-0.26, P<0.00001). The overall correlation between circulating Gal-3 levels and RA disease severity indices was r=0.23 (95% CI: 0.16-0.29, P<0.00001).
Gal-1 demonstrates significant potential as a biomarker for diagnosing and managing RA. Monitoring Gal-1 and Gal-3 levels may provide valuable insights into early disease assessment and progression, potentially improving treatment outcomes for RA patients.
半乳糖凝集素-1（Gal-1）和半乳糖凝集素-3（Gal-3）已成为类风湿性关节炎（RA）诊断和管理中有前景的生物标志物。本研究旨在通过系统评价和荟萃分析综合现有证据，以评估血清Gal-1和Gal-3作为监测RA患者疾病严重程度和预测临床结局的生物标志物的临床有效性。
我们在PubMed、Web of Science和Cochrane图书馆进行了全面的文献检索，包括截至2024年3月发表的研究。根据预先定义的纳入标准选择了11项观察性研究。使用Cochrane干预措施系统评价手册评估这些研究中的偏倚风险。使用RevMan 5.3软件进行数据合成和荟萃分析，研究方案已在INPLASY注册（ID：202460103）。
荟萃分析纳入了来自11项研究的1213名参与者（包括809名RA患者和404名健康对照）。与对照组相比，RA患者的血清Gal-1和Gal-3水平显著更高（MD = 25.09 ng/ml，95% CI：24.18 - 26.00 ng/ml，P < 0.00001；MD = 30.51 ng/ml，95% CI：29.10 - 31.93 ng/ml，P < 0.00001）。此外，Gal-1水平与RA疾病活动标志物呈正相关，如红细胞沉降率（ESR）和疾病活动评分28（DAS28）。分析显示Gal-1与RA疾病活动之间的相关系数r = 0.24（95% CI：0.14 - 0.33，P < 0.00001），突出了显著关联。同样，Gal-3与ESR（r = 0.29，95% CI：0.18 - 0.40，P < 0.00001）、DAS28（r = 0.25，95% CI：0.13 - 0.37，P < 0.00001）和C反应蛋白（CRP）（r = 0.15，95% CI：0.05 - 0.26，P < 0.00001）呈显著正相关。循环Gal-3水平与RA疾病严重程度指数之间的总体相关性为r = 0.23（95% CI：0.16 - 0.29，P < 0.00001）。
Gal-1作为RA诊断和管理的生物标志物具有显著潜力。监测Gal-1和Gal-3水平可能为早期疾病评估和进展提供有价值的见解，有可能改善RA患者的治疗结局。
