We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Potential role of platelets for atherosclerotic events in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Authors
Vona, Rosa; Di Franco, Manuela; Gambardella, Lucrezia; Di Lollo, Anna C.; Iannuccelli, Cristina; Valesini, Guido; Malorni, Walter; Straface, Elisabetta
- Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality that can be attributed to accelerated atherosclerosis. This pilot study aimed to investigate if changes in blood parameters were compatible with atherosclerotic events in RA patients. To this aim, 45 RA women (aged more than 18 years), and 25 age and gender‐matched healthy donors (HD) were included. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, platelet activation and platelet aggregation were analysed in RA patients at baseline and after six months of treatment with disease modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Flow cytometry analysis revealed that ca. 4% of platelets was in activated state (evaluated in term of Annexin V and PAC‐1 positivity) in RA patients at baseline, and that the 76% of platelets displayed mitochondrial hyperpolarization. Moreover, platelets from RA patients at baseline aggregated more than those from HD after whole blood treatment with adenosine diphosphate. Interestingly, platelet aggregation in patients at baseline positively correlated with disease activity measured by DAS28 score. After six months of treatment with DMARDs, platelet activation and platelet aggregation reached values comparable to those of HD. Our preliminary data suggest that platelets might play an active role in the atherosclerosis occurring in RA patients. In RA patients, platelets represent an important linkage between inflammation, thrombosis and atherogenesis. In RA patients at baseline, platelet aggregation positively correlates with disease activity measured by DAS28 score. Six months after treatment with DMARDs, platelet activation and platelet aggregation reach values comparable to those of healthy donors.
- Subjects
RHEUMATOID arthritis; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; BLOOD platelets; CARDIOVASCULAR diseases risk factors; MORTALITY
- Publication
FEBS Open Bio, 2018, Vol 8, Issue 12, p1888
- ISSN
2211-5463
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/2211-5463.12531