ABSTRACT. The objective of the present study was to perform a comparative analysis of hair essential trace element and mineral levels in patients with generalized osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis for estimation of elements predominantly associated with each of the diseases.
Materials and methods. A total of 198 adult women including patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 70), generalized osteoarthrosis (n = 62), and healthy controls (n = 66) were examined. Assessment of hair trace element and mineral levels was performed using inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry with a dynamic reaction cell technology.
Results. The obtained data demonstrate that hair copper and zinc levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and generalized osteoarthrosis were 17% and 6%, as well as 10% and 12% lower than the control values, respectively. The level of cobalt in hair of women with rheumatoid arthritis was 33% lower than that in healthy controls. The most significant group differences were observed in hair selenium content. Specifically, the level of selenium in hair of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and generalized osteoarthrosis were 15% and 30% lower compared to the control group values. Moreover, hair selenium content in women with generalized osteoarthrosis was 18% less than that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Multiple regression analysis demosntrated a significant inverse association between hair cobalt (β = –0,179; p = 0,037) and selenium (β = –0,323; p < 0,001) content with diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and generalized osteoarthrosis, respectively.
Conclusion. It is suggested that alterations in trace element and mineral metabolism may contribute to arthropathy pathogenesis. At the same time, a closer association between hair selenium and generalized osteoarthrosis, rather than rheumatoid arthritis, may be indicative of a more significant role of selenium deficiency in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.
KEYWORDS: arthropathy, joints, copper, zinc, selenium.
For citation: Skalny A.V., Korobeinikova T.V., Morozova G.D., Guo X., Zhang F., Tinkov A.A. Patterns of essential trace element and mineral accumulation in hair of women with rheumatoid arthritis and generalized osteoarthritis. Trace elemets in medicine. 2024;25(4):22−30. DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2024-25-4-22-30.