Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Rheumatology and Medical Rehabilitation, cilt.15, sa.2, ss.76-81, 2004 (Scopus)
The aim of this study was to investigate plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (vWf) activity in patients with rheumatoid arthrtitis (RA) and whether changes in this plasma protein were related to laboratory parameters reflecting the disease activity. This study was carried out in 16 females and 4 males, overall 20 patients with RA, diagnosed according to the 1987 revised of the American College of Rheumatology (formerly, the American Rheumatism Association) and 15 females and 5 males, overall 20 healthy subjects. Laboratory parameters of disease activity were assessed by erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Plasma vWf activities were investigated in plasma samples in patients with RA and in healthy control subjects. Plasma vWf activity were 131.9 ± 27.4% in the patient group and 107 ± 28.2% in the control group. Plasma vWf activity values were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation between vWf activity and ESR, (r = 0.53, p < 0.01), and between vWf activity and CRP (r = 0.61, p < 0.01). vWf activity was 145.2 ± 22.7 % in the active group and 111.0 ± 17.8 % in the inactive group. These results indicated that plasma vWf activity measurement may be a helpful marker for evaluating disease activity in RA patients.