The effect of infliximab on oxidative stress in chronic inflammatory joint disease

To evaluate infliximab effect on oxidative stress in active chronic inflammatory joint disease.

The study population comprised 12 patients: five with ankylosing spondylitis, five with rheumatoid arthritis and two with psoriatic arthritis. At the time of the study all patients were divided into two groups: (i) seven active patients and (ii) five inactive patients according to the accepted criteria that define activity of disease for each of the diseases. C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were measured. Patient's Global Assessment of the Disease (PGA), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) for ankylosing spondylitis patients and Disease Activity Score (DAS 28) for rheumatoid arthritis patients) were used for assessment of disease activity. Patients with active chronic inflammatory joint disease were introduced into the infliximab therapy programme.

Infliximab effects were evaluated after 6 weeks of treatment as changes in the quantity of lipid peroxidation products, protein carbonyl groups, reduced glutathione content, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase.

Our results revealed that: (i) infliximab has antioxidative properties, (ii) chronic inflammatory joint patients show high levels of oxidative injury, and (iii) oxidative stress is more intense in active disease group than in the inactive disease group.