[Concentration of serum sulphydryl groups in patients with rheumatoid arthritis dependent on age and duration of disease]. / Stezenie surowiczych grup sulfhydrylowych u chorych na reumatoidalne zapalenie stawów w zaleznosci od wieku i czasu trwania choroby.

ABSTRACT

In 67 patients with classical or certain (according to the ARA criteria) rheumatoid arthritis, the concentration of serum sulphydryl groups (SH) was studied. A statistically significantly decreased concentration of these groups was found in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (397.1 +/- 31.7 mumol/l). Besides that the studies demonstrated that the concentration of serum SH groups depended on the age of the patients and duration of the disease. For example, in time range of disease duration from one to 15 years, the concentration of SH groups was 395.9 +/- 28.5 mumol/l, from 16 to 20 years 337.0 +/- 32.0 mumol/l, and from 26 to 30 years 290.0 +/- 17.2 mumol/l. The changes of the concentration of serum SH groups in patients with rheumatoid arthritis may become, according to many researchers, a very sensitive biochemical index in the assessment of the course of the inflammatory process.