Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, cartilage damage and bone erosion. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) is a potential marker that can be used to assess atherosclerosis-related myocardial ischemia. Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke are common diseases in rheumatic diseases. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between disease activity and ischemia modified albumin level and ischemia modified albumin / albumin ratio (IMAO) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Material and Methods: This study included 72 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 72 healthy controls. Disease activity was evaluated with the disease activity score (DAS28). Serum ischemia-modified albumin concentration was measured spectrophotometrically using the albumin cobalt binding test.

Results: The mean ischemia-modified albumin concentrations in rheumatoid arthritis group and healthy controls were 0.46 ± 0.16 ABSU and 0.39 ± 0.10 ABSU, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.002). Serum ischemia-modified albumin levels were found to be positively correlated with Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS28), serum ischemia modified albumin / albumin ratio and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level (r = 0.419, r = 0.594, r = 0.648, respectively,).

Conclusion: Higher levels of ischemia-modified albumin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or in those with active disease suggest that it may be associated with pathogenesis and activity of the disease.