title: Temporal covariation of soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels, daily stress, and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine synchronous changes in soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels, daily indicators of emotional stress, joint inflammation, and reported pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients were studied on each of 6 occasions, 2 weeks apart. Measures included daily ratings of mood disturbance, undesirable events, and joint pain; clinical examination of joint swelling; and serum assays of sIL-2R. Pooled within-person correlations among these variables were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent with the results of previous research, joint inflammation covaried directly with sIL-2R levels. Changes in mood disturbance were unrelated to changes in joint inflammation, but increases in mood disturbance were linked with decreases in sIL-2R levels and increases in reported joint pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide preliminary evidence that psychoimmune processes may be implicated in short-term changes in RA disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Affleck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urrows
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tennen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zautra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012995:Solubility; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2