Abstract
A study of the clinical significance of serum sialic acid (SA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is presented in this paper. Because a definite correlation (n=30, r=0,74, P<0.001) between SA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and a good reflection of SA to disease activity in clinical course were revealed in RA patients, we were able to use SA in place of ESR as a marker of disease activity and a guide to treatment. On the other hand, although a good correlation (n=22, r=0.62, P<0.01 ) between SA and ESR was revealed in SLE patients, SA was inapplicable as a marker of disease activity in SLE because of a poor correlation between SA and anti-DNA antibody or serum complement which is mainly used as a marker of disease activity and a guide to treatment.
