Osteopontin, osteoprotegerin and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings in first-degree relatives of rheumatoid arthritis: potential markers of preclinical disease

Table 2 Serum Osteopontin and Osteoprotegerin in the studied groups

	RA (n = 20)	FDRs (n = 25)	Controls (n = 10)	P
Serum OPN (ng/ml)
Min. – Max.	0.0–18.40	0.90–5.80	1.40–5.40	0.102
Mean ± SD.	3.66 ± 4.20	1.97 ± 1.04	2.81 ± 1.31
Median	2.50	1.80	2.65
Serum OPG (pg/ml)
Min. – Max.	0.0–1558.0	0.0–334.1	0.0–39.80	0.004^*
Mean ± SD.	143.89 ± 365.47	22.23 ± 65.73	6.20 ± 12.43
Median	21.20	7.70	1.50
Significance between groups	p₁ = 0.009^, p₂ = 0.003^, p₃ = 0.332

p value for Kruskal Wallis test for comparing between the different groups; Significance between groups was done using Mann Whitney test; p₁: p value for comparing between RA patients and FDRs; p₂: p value for comparing between RA patients and controls; p₃: p value for comparing between FDRs and controls; *: Statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05
RA: rheumatoid arthritis; FDRs: first degree relatives; OPN: Osteopontin; OPG: Osteoprotegerin

ISSN: 1471-2474