title: Interleukin-6, soluble interleukin-2-receptor and soluble interleukin-6-receptor in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: influences of disease activity and drug therapy.
abstract: Cytokines and their receptors play a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of the inflammatory process in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate sIL-2R, sIL-6R and IL-6 levels in the sera of 48 RA patients and to correlate them with disease activity, indicators of inflammatory process as ESR and CRP, and drug treatment modalities. IL-6 and sIL-2R levels were positively correlated with disease activity, ESR and CRP. No correlation between sIL-6R levels and these markers were observed. Our results suggest that different drug therapies have a decisive influence on the levels of selected cytokines. All investigated disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were able to reduce the IL-6 level significantly. Non-immunosuppressive DMARDs decreased the amount of circulating sIL-2R more than immunosuppressive drugs. Treatment with methotrexate resulted in a significant reduction of circulating levels of sIL-6R compared to azathioprine therapy. Under low dose glucocorticoid therapy, significantly lower levels of sIL-6R were found than in patients without glucocorticoids. In conclusion, the results provide some arguments in favour of combined drug therapies, which might possibly enhance the effectiveness of RA therapy.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Innere Medizin IV, Funktionsbereich Rheumatologie und Osteologie, Erlanger Allee 101, Jena D-07740, Germany. franke@polkim.med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein