Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -3 is not effective for evaluating hemophilic arthropathy
Ogata, K.; Amano, K.; Kato, H.; Fukutake, K.
Rinsho Byori. Japanese Journal of Clinical Pathology 59(1): 37-41
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1860 PMID: 21404578 Document Number: 655729
Serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3 is a marker that is directly associated with the joint cartilage destruction. In cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), serum MMP-3 increases as the synovium becomes inflamed, which is one of the causal factors of joint destruction. Similarly, it may increase even in hemophilic arthropathy, thereby causing inflammation of the synovium. In order to determine whether MMP-3 can act as an indicator of arthrosis in hemophilic arthropathy, we evaluated serum MMP-3 in terms of patients' subjective symptoms of hemophilic arthropathy. 56 patients with mild to severe hemophilia were enrolled. We asked the patients to score the subjective joint mobility of 12 joints by using survey sheets of the joints. Symptoms for each joint were scored from 0 to 2 points (0: no symptoms, 1: minor difficulties, 2: difficulties). The maximum of joint score was 18 points, and the mean +/- SD was 5.1 +/- 4.7 points. The average of serum MMP-3 was 74.2 +/- 38.6 ng/ml, and only 5 cases exceeded the upper end of reference value of 121.0 ng/ml. The average joint score in the 5 cases was 6.8 points, which was slightly higher than the average (4.9 points) of the other cases. However, there was no statistical significant correlations between MMP-3 and the joint score. Also, there was no significant difference in serum MMP-3 between severity of hemophilia, symptom of bleeding and HIV positivity, respectively. In conclusion, these results suggested that serum MMP-3 was not useful for evaluating hemophilic arthropathy.