Skin Autofluorescence Assessment of Advanced Glycation End Products in Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases are chronic inflammatory conditions that can lead to long-term tissue damage and increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are harmful molecules that accumulate in the body over time and are known to promote inflammation and oxidative stress. Increased AGE burden has been implicated in several chronic diseases; however, its role in rheumatic diseases has not been fully clarified.

This observational, cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the accumulation of AGEs in patients with various rheumatic diseases compared with healthy individuals. AGE levels will be assessed non-invasively using skin autofluorescence measurements.

By comparing AGE burden between patients and healthy controls, this study seeks to improve understanding of the potential role of AGEs in the pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases and to explore their usefulness as a non-invasive biomarker in clinical practice.

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Key information

Conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ankylosis Arthritis Arthritis, Infectious Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Reactive Arthritis, Rheumatoid Autoimmune Diseases Axial Spondyloarthritis Bone Diseases Chronic Disease Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Connective Tissue Diseases Crystal Arthropathies Disease Attributes Familial Mediterranean Fever Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF ) Genetic Diseases, Inborn Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases Immune System Diseases Infections Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Post-Infectious Disorders Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis Reactive Arthritis (ReA) Rheumatic Diseases Skin Diseases Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Spinal Diseases Spondylarthritis Spondylarthropathies Spondylitis Spondylitis, Ankylosing

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Age between 18 and 75 years
Diagnosis of an inflammatory rheumatic disease (including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, connective tissue diseases, Behçet disease, familial Mediterranean fever, or crystal arthropathies), confirmed by a rheumatologist
Healthy volunteers without a history of rheumatic or chronic inflammatory disease (for the control group)
Ability to undergo non-invasive skin autofluorescence measurement
Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2)
Chronic kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²
Active malignancy or history of malignancy within the past 5 years
Presence of acute infection or acute inflammatory condition at the time of assessment
Secondary causes of systemic inflammation unrelated to the underlying rheumatic disease (e.g., uncontrolled endocrine disorders, chronic liver disease)
Use of medications known to markedly affect AGE accumulation or skin autofluorescence measurements (e.g., recent high-dose systemic glucocorticoids)
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Presence of significant skin conditions (e.g., extensive dermatitis, scars, tattoos, or burns) at the measurement site that may interfere with skin autofluorescence assessment
Inability to comply with study procedures or to provide informed consent

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Skin Autofluorescence-Derived Advanced Glycation End Product Level

Time frame: Baseline (single study visit)

Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) accumulation assessed non-invasively by skin autofluorescence measurement using a validated AGE Reader device, expressed in arbitrary units (AU).

Secondary outcomes

Comparison of AGE Levels Between Rheumatic Disease Subtypes

Time frame: Baseline (single study visit)

Comparison of skin autofluorescence-derived advanced glycation end-product (AGE) levels among different rheumatic disease subgroups and healthy controls.
Association Between AGE Levels and Inflammatory Markers

Time frame: Baseline

Association between skin autofluorescence-derived AGE levels and systemic inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Altuğ Güner, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905337414088

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Bursa City Hospital

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of Advanced Glycation End Products Accumulation in Rheumatic Diseases Using Non-Invasive Skin Autofluorescence Measurements

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2027
Study completion: 2027
First posted: Jan 9, 2026
Registry last updated: Jan 9, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed