[Endothelial dysfunction in rheumatic patients]

Aim - to investigate the relationship between indicators of endothelium activation and markers of inflammatory activity, in rheumatic patients. The study, involved 112 patients including 34 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 78 with rheunmatoid arthritis (RA) aged from 19 to 62 years. The markers of endothelium activation, indices of inflammatory activity and correlation between them were investigated Patients with RA and SLE exhibited disturbed endothelial fimction, increased level of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and von Wlllebrand factor antigen (Ag:vW), desquamated endotheliocytes (DE) in comparison with control (p<0, 1). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels in RA and SLE were significantly higher than in a control: 412,8 pg/ml, 331,1 pg/ml, 208 pg/ml respectively (p < 0,01). Significant positive correlation between RA and SLE activity scores (estimated from DAS28 and SLAM/SLEDAI respectively) and market's of endothelial dysfimction (sVCAM-I, Ag:vW DE) was documented Correlation co-efficients were R = 0, 82, 0,80 and 0,85 respectively, p < 0, 01 for RA patients; R = 0,64, 0, 69 and 0, 61, p < 0, 01 for SLE patients (SLAM); Spirmnen s coefficients 0,64, 0,53 and 0,81, p < 0,01 Jbr SLE patients (SLEDAI). Levels of endothelial dysfunction markers in RA and SLE patients increased with increasing indices of inflammatomy activity. Increased levels oflL-8, sVCAM-1, Ag:vW DE in patients with RA and SLE lead to the damage of endothelium.