title: Interleukin 6: a possible marker of disease activity in adult onset Still's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an inflammatory disorder with elevated serum acute phase proteins. Interleukin-6 is a major contributor to the acute phase response. We therefore examined the serum levels of CRP, SAA and interleukin-6 in active and inactive AOSD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Active patients had significantly elevated CRP, SAA, and interleukin-6 values. After steroid treatment a marked reduction was observed in all three parameters. There was a close kinetics on the fluctuations of CRP and SAA, but not on IL-6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute phase proteins and IL-6 are useful markers of disease activity in AOSD.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Diagnostic Investigation, Immunology Division IBCC, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scheinberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chapira
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hubscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016706:Still's Disease, Adult-Onset / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein