J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2003 Dec;10(4):413-421.

Serum Levels of Zinc and Copper are Associated with Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Lee MS
• Kang HJ
• Hong SJ
• Do JH
• Yoon CH
• Kim WU
• Min DJ
• Youn JH
• Park SH
• Cho CS
• Kim HY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between serum trace element levels with disease activity in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
METHODS
The serum levels of zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers in 80 patients th , 26 osteoarthritis (OA), and 30 healthy controls (HC). We also measured the levels of zinc and copper in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with RA. We nvestigated the clinical parameters simultaneously obtained at sampling of serum and analyzed correlation between serum levels of trace elements and disease activity in RA.
RESULTS
In RA, the levels of serum zinc were significantly lower than that of HC, and thelevels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were significantly higher than those of HC. In active RA, the levels of serum zinc were more decreased , and the levels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were more increased than those of inactive group of RA. The levels of both copper and ceruloplasmin showed positive correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP. On the other hand, the levels of serum zinc showed negative correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP.
CONCLUSION
Serum zinc levels are significantly lower and serum copper levels significantly higher in patients with active RA and these trace elements were useful parameter of disease activity in RA.

Keyword

Rheumatoid arthritis; Zinc; Copper; Ceruloplasmin; Disease activity

MeSH Terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid*
Ceruloplasmin
Copper*
Hand
Humans
Osteoarthritis
Plasma
Synovial Fluid
Trace Elements
Zinc*
Ceruloplasmin
Copper
Trace Elements
Zinc