Antioxidant defense and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and vitamin D deficiency is
associated with severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Aim: With this background the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and vitamin D levels were analyzed. Patients and Methods: Twenty healthy subjects, twenty four RA patients on methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy and fourteen patients who had not taken any pharmacological treatment, were recruited in the study. Results: The oxidative stress was found to be high in RA patients both naïve and those on
methotrexate therapy, when compared to healthy controls. Antioxidant defense was found to be less in naïve patients and the disease activity score was found to be worsened in both treatment naïve and MTX treated patients. Conclusion: Nutritional enrichment or antioxidant supplementation along with conventional treatment could improve the functional status in naïve RA patients, whereas increment of vitamin D levels could improve the therapeutic outcome for patients on monotherapy with MTX.