A NEW study has found a significant relationship between the platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) and disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), with findings suggesting that PAR could serve as a potential biomarker for monitoring disease severity. Conducted at Xingtai People’s Hospital in China, the cross-sectional study included 372 ERA patients and analysed the correlation between PAR and the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), which is widely used to assess rheumatoid arthritis severity through erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.
Results showed a positive correlation between PAR and DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP scores, indicating that higher PAR levels were associated with greater disease activity. This trend remained consistent across the lowest to highest tertiles of PAR, suggesting a general positive association. Additionally, researchers identified a nonlinear relationship between PAR and disease activity, noting a threshold effect at a PAR value of 13.73. Below this inflection point, higher PAR levels were significantly linked to increased disease activity, but above this point, the association plateaued, indicating no further rise in disease severity with increased PAR.
The study’s findings suggest that PAR could offer a valuable marker for assessing disease activity in early rheumatoid arthritis, helping to identify patients at higher risk of severe symptoms. Monitoring PAR may enable healthcare providers to adjust treatment strategies more effectively, potentially improving patient outcomes.
Reference
Leng, L et al. Nonlinear association between platelet to albumin ratio and disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Sci Rep. 2024;DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-78582-1.
