FATTY-ACIDS AND ANTIOXIDANT MICRONUTRIENTS IN PSORIATIC-ARTHRITIS

Objective. Red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid composition and micronutrie nt status were investigated in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) , with special regard to their relationship to clinical variables. Met hods. RBC fatty acid composition, selenium status - serum selenium and RBC glutathione-peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) - plasma copper, plasma and RBC zinc, plasma vitamins A and E, and RBC thiobarbiturate reactiv e substances (TBARS) after H2O2 exposure as an index of susceptibility to lipoperoxidation were measured in 25 patients with PsA and in 25 s ex and age matched controls. Results. A significant increase in C16:0 (p <0.01) and in total saturated fatty acids (SFA) (p <0.05), a signif icant decrease in C18:2 (p <0.05), C20:4 (p <0.001) and omega-6 polyun saturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p <0.001), a lower level of serum seleni um (p <0.01) and an increased level of plasma copper (p <0.05) were ob served in patients with PsA in comparison with controls. Significant d irect correlations were observed between RBC SFA and erythrocyte sedim entation rate (ESR) (r = 0.445), duration of disease (r = 0.403) and m orning stiffness (r = 0.434). Conclusion. As in other reports for rheu matoid arthritis (RA), our results support the view that an abnormal f atty acid pattern might be a particular metabolic modification involve d or associated with the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases.