title: Adenosine deaminase enzyme levels, their relation with disease activity, and the effect of colchicine on adenosine deaminase levels in patients with Behçet's disease.
abstract: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis. Although its clinical characteristics are well defined, the etiology and immune pathogenesis are not clear yet. Neutrophilic vasculitis, which is a consequence of immunological events, is suggested as the underlying pathophysiological mechanism. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is a non-specific marker of T-lymphocyte activation. A total of 75 patients with BD (45 women and 30 men) and 25 age-matched and gender-matched healthy control volunteers (13 women and 12 men) were included in this study. BD patients were divided into three groups according to their clinical findings: inactive BD patients (group 1, n=25); active BD patients under colchicine treatment (group 2, n=25); and active BD patients without colchicine treatment (group 3, n=25). Plasma ADA (p-ADA) levels of all BD patients and the control group were measured and compared. The relationship between p-ADA levels and disease activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels was evaluated and correlated. Patients with BD had significantly higher p-ADA levels (20.6+/-6.3 U/l) than control subjects (12.8+/-1.8 U/l; P<0.001). The p-ADA levels of patients with active BD were significantly (for each, P<0.05) higher than those of inactive BD patients or controls. On the other hand, the difference was not significant (P>0.05) between active patients with or without colchicine use. In addition, there were significantly positive correlations between p-ADA, ESR and CRP levels in patients with BD (for each, P<0.05). However, disease duration or haemoglobin levels were not relevant. ADA level may be a valuable and supportive indicator of disease activity and is not affected by colchicine therapy in BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, 38039, Turkey. mcalis@erciyes.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calis
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ates
authors.forename: Cevat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Kader
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirnap
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borlu
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evereklioglu
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006074:Gout Suppressants; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase; D003078:Colchicine