Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum trace element levels with disease activity in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: The serum levels of zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers in 80 patients with RA, 26 osteoarthritis (OA), and 30 healthy controls (HC). We also measured the levels of zinc and copper in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with RA. We investigated the clinical parameters simultaneously obtained at sampling of serum and analyzed correlation between serum levels of trace elements and disease activity in RA.

Results: In RA, the levels of serum zinc were significantly lower than that of HC, and the levels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were significantly higher than those of HC. In active RA, the levels of serum zinc were more decreased , and the levels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were more increased than those of inactive group of RA. The levels of both copper and ceruloplasmin showed positive correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP. On the other hand, the levels of serum zinc showed negative correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP.

Conclusion: Serum zinc levels are significantly lower and serum copper levels significantly higher in patients with active RA and these trace elements were useful parameter of disease activity in RA

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, Zinc, Copper, Ceruloplasmin, Disease activity