Abstract :
[en] OBJECTIVE: To determine matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) serum levels in
patients with rheumatic diseases and to study the relation between MMP-3 and C
reactive protein (CRP) levels. METHODS: MMP-3 serum levels were determined by
enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in (a) patients with active
inflammatory rheumatic diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis,
polymyalgia rheumatica, acute crystal arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; (b)
patients with active inflammatory systemic diseases: cutaneo-articular or renal
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, and vasculitides; (c)
patients with non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases: osteoarthritis and
fibromyalgia; (d) critically ill patients without rheumatic diseases,
representing an acute inflammatory control group; (e) healthy controls. RESULTS:
MMP-3 serum levels were significantly increased in patients with active RA,
psoriatic arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica, whether treated or not by
corticosteroids, and in female patients with acute crystal arthritis. MMP-3 serum
levels were normal in steroid-free patients with active cutaneo-articular or
renal SLE, systemic sclerosis, and vasculitides but were significantly increased
in steroid treated patients. MMP-3 levels were normal in fibromyalgia,
osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and acute inflammatory controls. MMP-3
was significantly correlated with CRP in RA (r=0.5, p=0.0004) but not in any of
the other disease groups. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-3 serum levels are increased in
inflammatory rheumatic diseases characterised by joint synovitis, such as RA,
polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, and acute crystal arthritis-that is,
whether the diseases are acute or chronic, erosive or not. They are normal in
SLE, systemic sclerosis, and vasculitides as well as in non-rheumatic
inflammatory controls, but are significantly increased by steroids. These data
strongly suggest that serum MMP-3 reflects synovial inflammation.
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