title: Increased serum levels of soluble CD44-isoform v5 in rheumatic diseases are restricted to seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Serum levels of sCD44v5 were measured in 134 patients with definite inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) using a sandwich type ELISA. 94 patients suffered from erosive IgM-rheumatoid factor positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA+), 20 with undifferentiated seronegative polyarthritis, 12 with osteoarthropathia psoriatica and psoriasis vulgaris, 3 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 3 with scleroderma and 2 with reactive arthritis. Elevated serum levels (> 58 ng/ml to 221 ng/ml; median: 93 ng/ml) were only detected in 54/94 (57%) patients with RA+, but not in other IRD. They correlated with advanced stages of disease (Steinbrocker stages III + IV; p < 0.05), elevated CRP-levels (p < 0.01) and higher measurements of IgM rheumatoid factor.
authors.affiliation: 5th Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Wilhelminen-Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haberhauer
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kittl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skoumal
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hübl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dunky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor