title: [Serum Fas in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy as a marker of activity of the ocular inflammatory infiltration].
abstract: Apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases. Soluble form of Fas (sFas) appeared as reliable markers of inflammation activity in rheumatic autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was an estimation of sFas in patients with Graves' disease with ophthalmopathy during treatment with corticosteroids to assess their potential as a guideline of immunosuppressive therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We detected serum Fas in three groups of subjects: 25 patients with clinical symptoms of ophthalmopathy (OG)(CAS > or = 4, anamnesis of OG > or = 1 yr), 18 patients with Graves' disease without ophthalmopathy (ChG) and 14 healthy volunteers. Corticosteroid therapy consisted of intravenous infusions of methylprednisolone (MP) and subsequent treatment with oral prednisone. The serum samples were collected 24 hours before MP, 24 hours after MP, 14 days of treatment with prednisone and after the end of the corticosteroid therapy. The levels of soluble Fas in the serum were determined by the ELISA and TSH receptor antibodies by RIA method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sFas concentration was significantly increased in patients with OG. We found a positive correlation between sFas and CAS and a negative correlation with duration of OG. During corticosteroid treatment there was no difference in sFas between responders and non-responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  sFas is a potent surrogate marker of inflammatory process activity in Graves' ophthalmopathy, however it has no prognostic value in the prediction of the immunotherapy efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Endokrynologii, Diabetologii i Chorób Wewnetrznych Akademii Medycznej w Białystoku. mysjan@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myśliwiec
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kretowski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stepień
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okłota
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kinalska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019014:fas Receptor; D013972:Thyrotropin; D011239:Prednisolone; D008775:Methylprednisolone