Ab0374 a Study of Myostatin Levels in a Greek Cohort of Post-Menopausal Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

BackgroundMyostatin is expressed in skeletal muscles and exerts a negative feedback in myogenesis. Chronic inflammation has been associated with increased serum myostatin levels (Baig MH, Front Physiol. 2022).ObjectivesThe calculation of serum myostatin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and association with disease parameters.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 30 post-menopausal women with RA, classified according to the 1987 ACR criteria. Blood samples were collected and inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR, and C-reactive protein, CRP) were calculated. Serum myostatin levels were assessed using the ELISA method. Seropositive disease was defined according to a positive history of antibodies against rheumatoid factor (RF) or against citrullinated proteins (ACPA). Disease activity and patient functionality were expressed by using the DAS28 (ESR) and the HAQ-DI scores respectively.ResultsIn our cohort, 47% (n=14) had seropositive disease. Mean values for ESR, CRP, DAS28 (ESR) and HAQ-DI were 29 ± 20 mm, 1.6 ± 2.6 mg/dl, 3.9 ± 1.7 and 0.9 ± 0.6 respectively. The mean serum myostatin levels were 5.9 ± 1.3 μg/ml. According to the DAS28 (ESR) score, 17% (n=5) patients were in disease remission, 20% (n=6) had low disease activity, 40% (n=12) had medium disease activity and 23% (n=8) had high disease activity. Serum myostatin was not associated with disease activity (p=0.32), patient functionality (p=0.08) or the inflammatory burden attributed to active disease (p=0.67 for ESR and p=0.83 for CRP). Seropositive disease did not correlate with serum myostatin levels (p=0.08).ConclusionIn post-menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis, serum myostatin levels are independent of disease activity, patient functionality, inflammatory burden, RF or ACPA seropositivity. Except for inflammation per se, other disease parameters associated with RA influence the regulation of myostatin.Reference[1]Baig MH, Ahmad K, Moon JS, Park SY, Ho Lim J, Chun HJ, Qadri AF, Hwang YC, Jan AT, Ahmad SS, Ali S, Shaikh S, Lee EJ, Choi I. Myostatin and its Regulation: A Comprehensive Review of Myostatin Inhibiting Strategies. Front Physiol. 2022 Jun 23;13:876078. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.876078.Table 1.Association of serum myostatin with disease parameters in RA patients (statistical significance: p<0.05)ParameterCoefficientpAge0.0840.658BMI-0.1560.412Disease duration0.1310.492Seropositive disease-0.8090.084ESR-0.0810.672CRP0.0410.830DAS28 (ESR)-0.1900.315HAQ-DI-0.3220.083Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsNone Declared.