Background/Purpose: Resistin is a secreted factor that is elevated following traumatic joint injury, causing matrix degradation and it releases inflammatory cytokines from articular cartilage in vitro. This study was designed to plot changes in the levels of serum and synovial fluid (SF) resistin during flare-ups and remissions in patients with primary Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knees.

Methods: The level of resistin was measured in paired serum and SF samples from 60 patients with Primary OA of the knees during flare-ups when KOFUS ≥ 7, and then re-measured after remissions were attained, and from 15 controls without radiographic knee OA [Kellgren & Lawrence (K&L) =0] . Resistin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 

Results: Serum resistin levels were higher in patients compared to controls (9.66±5.21 versus 3.31±1.04) (P < 0.001). In patients, serum resistin collectively was higher than in SF (9.66±5.21versus 2.45±1.04 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). In flare-ups serum resistin was higher than in remissions (9.66±5.21versus 5.68±3.22) (P< 0.001). SF resistin was higher in flare-ups than in remissions (2.45±1.04 versus1.35±0.72) (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: This study suggests an important involvement of resistin in OA patients considering their high serum levels compared to controls and furthermore, the up regulation of resistin during flare-ups in both serum and SF may suggest an involvement of resistin in the inflammatory component of OA.This may pave the way for using resistin as a marker of disease activity in OA.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/detection-of-changes-in-the-serum-and-synovial-fluid-levels-of-resistin-during-flare-ups-and-remissions-in-primary-knee-osteoarthritis/