A cross-sectional analysis between plasma trace elements and osteoarthritis

Abstract

Abstract Background: The expression level of trace elements and its correlation with inflammation and oxidative stress indicators in osteoarthritis (OA) patients were analyzed, which may lay a foundation for clarifying the role of trace elements in OA pathogenesis and progression. Methods: A total of 86 subjects participated in the study, including 44 OA patients as case group and 42 healthy people as control group. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was used to detect copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe), plumbum (Pb), manganese(Mn), selenium (Se), and the differences between two groups were compared. Principal component analysis was used to find the principal variables and logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for OA. The correlation between trace elements and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) and oxidative damage markers (MDA, TAC) was analyzed. Results: The concentrations of Zn, Mg, Fe, Mn and Se were significantly lower in case group than those in the control group, while the plasma levels of Ca were significantly higher than the control group. The concentrations of Cu and Pb in plasma have no difference between two groups. Gender may be one of the factors affecting the expression level of trace elements. The concentrations of Mn and Se in female OA patients were lower than the healthy women, while the concentrations of Zn and Mg in male OA patients were lower than the healthy men, suggesting that the level of trace elements were different in men and women, which should be treated discriminately. The results of correlation analysis indicated that there are intricate correlations among trace elements. Logistic regression analysis suggested that gender and Se were risk factors for OA. Correlation analysis showed that Mn was negatively correlated with inflammatory cytokine IL-6, Fe was positively correlated with IL-1β, Cu was positively correlated with oxidative stress, Zn and Se were negatively correlated with oxidative stress. Conclusion: The concentration of Zn, Mg, Fe, Mn, Se and Ca in the plasma of OA patients was changed, in which Mn and Se were lower in female OA patients, Zn and Mg were lower in male OA patients compared to control group. Gender and Se was the risk factor for OA pathogenesis. Trace elements are intricately related with each other. Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se were associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines.