[Rinsho Byori 51 : 745〜750, 2003]

A Basic Study of Determination Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 and
Carbohydrate in Rheumatoid Factor in Serum for Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Michiyo URATA*1, Nobuko NAKAMURA*2, Sachiko KINOSHITA*3,
Yuzo KAYAMORI, PhD*4 and Naotaka HAMASAKI, MD, PhD*5

The examination of rheumatoid factor(RF), one of the diagnostic marker of rheumatoid arthritis(RA), showed negative about 25% of patients with RA. We analyzed a matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3) and a carbohydrate in rheumatoid factor(CA・RF) for diagnosis of RA: the former is used the kit "Panaclear MMP-3｢Plate｣"and the latter is used the kit "Picolumi CA・RF". The basic study of these reagents showed satisfactory results. In 73.3% of seronegative RA showed positive on both MMP-3 and CA・RF levels in serum, respectively. We found that these examinations might be useful for diagnosis of RA, especially during seronegative RA.

*1Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka 812-8582