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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory joint disease. Because inflammation and nitrosative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA, drugs that have antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects can be effective as adjuvant treatment in these patients. Selenium is a compound that has been shown in recent studies to have anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oral selenium on the reduction of clinical symptoms and joint pain in patients with RA. Fifty‐one patients with moderate and severe RA were randomly divided into selenium and placebo groups. The first group of patients received selenium at a dose of 200 μg twice a day for 12 weeks along with standard RA interventions and treatments, and the second group received standard treatments of RA along with a placebo. Clinical symptoms were evaluated with standard indicators to evaluate disease activity before and after the intervention in the 12th week. Examination of clinical symptoms at the end of the study showed that in the selenium group and after 12 weeks, a reduction in clinical symptoms and joint pain were observed, which was statistically significant compared with before the study began. Meanwhile, no significant changes were observed in the patients of the placebo group in terms of reducing symptoms and joint pains. A dose of 200 μg of oral selenium twice a day for 12 weeks can significantly reduce clinical symptoms and joint pain in patients with RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, debilitating systemic disease characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive joint destruction. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) are one of the most important players in the pathophysiology of RA, acting like tumor cells and secreting inflammatory cytokines. Previous research has shown that cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) inhibits cancer cells and may have anti-inflammatory properties. This study examined the effects of argon plasma jet-produced CAP on the suppression of invasion and inflammation caused by cultured RA-FLS. The findings revealed that CAP reduced cell viability and elevated the percentage of apoptotic RA-FLS by producing reactive oxygen species. Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) staining confirmed that CAP could decrease the proliferation of RA-FLS. Furthermore, CAP effectively reduced the production of inflammatory factors (e.g., NF-κB and IL-6) as well as destructive factors like receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3). These data suggest that CAP could be a promising treatment for slowing the progression of RA by reducing tumor-like features and inflammation in RA-FLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]