[Blood levels of soluble ICAM-1 in patients with multiple sclerosis].
BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. The Intercellular Adhesion Molecule plays a fundamental part in the migration of T cells to the inflammed tissues. It is known that there is an increase in the expression of endothelial cells and other cells found in lesions of the central nervous system of MS patients. ICAM-I may be detected in its soluble form in serum and it is of interest to understand its behaviour in this liquid since it is easily accessible.


METHODS
We studied the concentration of soluble ICAM-I in the serum of patients with MS: one group which had clinical attacks were studied whilst in remission; another had the chronic progressive clinical form and a third group had optic neuritis as the probable initial sign of the disorder. Within the different clinical forms, some patients received treatment with beta-interferon or azathioprine and others did not.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a significant increase in the levels of soluble ICAM-I in patients with inactive, untreated MS as compared with normal persons, with no difference found between the different clinical types.
García-Tortosa
C
C
Sección de Neurología, Hospital Torrecárdenas, Almería, España.
Amrani
Y
Y
Casado
A
A
Muñoz
F J
FJ
Vázquez
J
J
D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D012995:Solubility
D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D016899:Interferon-beta; D001379:Azathioprine
Niveles en suero de ICAM-I soluble en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple.