Steroid therapy and renal dysfunction are independently associated with serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate whether the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), a marker of synovium inflammation, is affected by clinical characteristics of patients in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 1087 female patients with RA. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to explore associations between variables. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate patient background variables that could potentially affect serum MMP-3 levels.

RESULTS

Serum MMP-3 was moderately correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) (r: 0.478). Factors that independently influenced serum MMP-3 levels were CRP (β: 0.450), prednisolone (PSL) use (β: 0.100), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (β: -0.085), swollen joint count assessed on 28 joints (β: 0.072), and body mass index (β: -0.061) in female patients with RA. In RA patients with PSL use, factors that independently influenced serum MMP-3 levels were CRP (β: 0.480), eGFR (β: -0.175), and PSL dose (β: 0.171).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that steroid therapy and renal dysfunction affect serum MMP-3 levels in patients with RA.