Methylglyoxal: A Relevant Marker of Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Table 1

Characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and control subjects.

	RA patients ()	Control subjects ()
Age (yrs)	52.9 ± 10.6	50.1 ± 8	NS
Female (%)	89	87	NS
Diabetes (%)	12	—	—
Hypertension (%)	20	—	—
Dyslipidemia (%)	64	—
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (mm/H)	39.6 ± 27.2	9.8 ± 3.2
Disease duration (yrs)	11.7 ± 8.2
Swollen joint count (SJC)	2.4 ± 4.3
Tender joint count (TJC)	16 ± 10
HAQ score	1.5 ± 0.9
Positive anticyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCPs, %)	62.5
Positive IgM rheumatoid factor (%)	68.7
DAS28	5.5 ± 1.3
Remission (%)	0
Low (%)	0
Moderate (%)	41
Active (%)	59
Medication
Methotrexate (%)	85
Arava (%)	8.7
Salazopyrin (%)	12.5

Data represent means ± SD or percentages. NS: not significant.