Trace elements and disease activity score in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

In this study, we aimed to investigate the levels of serum Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, and Fe in rheumatoid arthritis and whether they are related to the severity of the disease. The sera from 29 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied and compared with those from healthy controls (n = 22). Although serum Fe, Mg and Mn levels were lower in the rheumatoid arthritis group than in the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. Significantly higher Cu (p < 0.001) and lower Zn serum levels (p < 0.012) were found in rheumatoid arthritis than in controls.A statistically significant positive correlation was present between Cu levels and disease activity score (DAS), and there was a negative correlation between Zn levels and DAS.We think that alterations of the level of some trace elements in rheumatoid arthritis are a consequence of and not one of the causes of the disease, as in many other chronic inflammatory disorders.