Clinical Characteristics of Lipid Metabolism in Untreated Patients with Anti-MDA5 Antibody-Positive

OBJECTIVE: Clinical characterization of lipid metabolism in untreated patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibodies-positive (anti-MDA5(+)). METHODS: Body-mass index (BMI), autoantibodies, lipid levels, and serum ferritin levels in 57 anti-MDA5(+) patients were determined in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. RESULTS: Plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) levels were significantly lower in deceased group than in the survival group (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of HDL and ApoA1 were significantly lower in patients who were simultaneously anti-MDA5(+) and anti-Ro-52(+) than in patients who were anti-MDA5(+) alone (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, HDL, and ApoA1 were significantly decreased in patients with high levels of serum ferritin compared with patients with low levels (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in blood lipid levels between patients grouped according to BMI. CONCLUSION: 1) HDL and ApoA1 levels are important indicators of poor prognosis in anti-MDA5(+) patients; 2) Dysregulated lipid metabolism in anti-MDA5(+) patients is closely associated with anti-Ro-52 antibody and ferritin levels but independent of BMI; 3) HDL involvement in inflammation and immune regulation merits close attention by rheumatologists.