title: The importance of plasma polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase determination in patients with uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polymorphonuclear elastase is used as an important marker for inflammatory disease. We wanted to show whether polymorphonuclear elastase could be a marker in uveitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with uveitis and 30 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Polymorphonuclear elastase levels were determined by immunoactivation method before and after periods of corticosteroid and/or cyclosporin treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels were high in all of the patients before treatment; the levels reached normal range with treatment. In some cases, however, uveitis could not be suppressed in spite of treatment; these patients had high polymorphonuclear elastase levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that determination of polymorphonuclear elastase level may be used for monitoring of uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Değer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdöl
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gedik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orem
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Imamoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014605:Uveitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase