Research Information System
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, vol.36, no.5, pp.289-293, 1998 (SCI-Expanded)
We studied transketolase activity of red blood cell hemolysates, and Na+, K+, ATPase activity and sialic acid concentration in red blood cell membranes from 52 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 24 control subjects. Decreased red blood cell membrane Na+, K+, ATPase activity and sialic acid concentration and decreased transketolase in red blood cell hemolysates were observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared with control subjects (p<0.001). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein values were increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared with control subjects (p<0.0001). Significant correlations between sialic acid and Na+, K+, ATPase (r=0.65, p<0.001) and between sialic acid and transketolase (r=0.58, p<0.001) were observed. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels did not correlate with Na+, K+, ATPase activity or with sialic acid or transketolase in rheumatoid arthritis patients. These data show that decreases in Na+, K+, ATPase, and transketolase activities and sialic acid concentration are present in rheumatoid arthritis patients, and that the decrease in Na+, K+, ATPase and transketolase activities in rheumatoid arthritis might be due to decreased sialic acid.