Levels of urinary polyamines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

To compare urinary polyamine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with osteoarthritis (OA), and in healthy controls and examine the relationship between urinary polyamine levels and several disease variables in patients with RA.

METHODS

We determined the concentrations of urinary polyamines in 33 patients with RA, 24 with OA, and 20 healthy controls, using the enzymatic assay method. For patients with RA relevant clinical and laboratory variables were obtained and functional and radiologic scores determined for the joints.

RESULTS

Urinary polyamine levels were significantly higher in patients with RA versus those with OA and healthy controls. In patients with RA the levels of urinary polyamines correlated significantly with the concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP); there was also a statistically significant negative correlation between their urinary polyamine levels and average grip strength in either hand. Moreover, the levels of urinary polyamines in patients with RA showed an increase in proportion to the degree of joint functional damage and radiologic progression.

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm our previous report of an increase in the amount of free putrescine in synovial fluids and a significant correlation between the putrescine contents of synovial tissues and the serum CRP concentrations in patients with RA; they also suggest that urinary polyamine levels may be related to the activity and progression of RA, indicating that polyamine may play an important role in RA.