Detection of increased levels of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis but not in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lack of correlation with levels of circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule 1.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the levels of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (cICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (cVCAM-1) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
Levels of cICAM-1 and cVCAM-1 were measured in both plasma and synovial fluid using monoclonal antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassays.


RESULTS
Levels of both cICAM-1 and cVCAM-1 were significantly increased (P < 0.001) in RA patients compared with normal controls. In contrast, only cVCAM-1, and not cICAM-1, was increased in patients with SLE. Levels of cICAM-1 and cVCAM-1 were significantly elevated in synovial fluid compared with plasma in paired samples from patients with RA. There was no correlation between levels of cICAM-1 and levels of cVCAM-1, in either plasma or synovial fluid. Whereas levels of cVCAM-1 correlated significantly with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein level in RA patients and with the ESR in SLE patients, no significant correlations were found between cICAM-1 and either of these indices of disease activity.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations indicate that levels of cICAM-1 and cVCAM-1 reflect separate pathophysiologic processes. Both may be useful markers for the diagnosis and management of patients with rheumatic diseases.
Mason
J C
JC
Department of Medicine (Rheumatology Unit), Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Kapahi
P
P
Haskard
D O
DO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein