Clinical significance of Galectin-1 and Galectin-4 in rheumatoid arthritis patients and their potential role as diagnostic markers

Aim of the work

To investigate the utility of serum Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Galectin-4 (Gal-4) as potential markers for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore their relationship with disease activity.

Patients and methods

Serum Gal-1 and Gal-4 of 60 RA patients were compared to 30 age and sex-matched controls. Potential relationship of both markers with disease activity assessed using Disease activity score-28 joints (DAS-28), seropositivity (Rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)), functional classification assessed using modified health assessment questionnaire (MHAQ), radiographic progression assessed using Larsen score and treatment was investigated.

Results

The study included 60 patients; 54 (90 %) females and 6 (10 %) males with a mean age of 42.6 ± 10.1 years and disease duration of 7.5 ± 6.4 years. Their mean DAS-28 was 4.6 ± 1.0, their MHAQ was 1 ± 0.5 and their Larsen score was 41.3 ± 9.9. The mean of Gal-1 and Gal-4 were both significantly lower in RA patients in comparison to control group (4.4 ± 1.5 ng/ml vs 38.1 ± 25.5 ng/ml and 1.2 ± 0.7 ng/ml; p < 0.001vs 8.1 ± 7.0 ng/ml; p < 0.001 respectively. At a cut off value ≤7.7 for Gal-1 and ≤2.3 for Gal-4 was successfully able to differentiate between RA patients and control group. There was no correlation between both Gal-1 & Gal-4 and DAS-28, MHAQ, Larsen score, RF or ACPA titres.

Conclusion

Gal-1 & 4 serum levels have a potential role as diagnostic markers in patients with RA. Both markers however cannot be regarded as disease activity or severity markers.