Soluble cell adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to analyse serum concentrations of soluble cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before and after 6 months of treatment with methotrexate (MTX).


METHODS
We studied 32 RA patients, untreated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or corticosteroids, with disease duration less than 3 years. Twenty osteoarthritis (OA) patients constituted the control group. The analysis of serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and E-selectin (sE-selectin) was based on a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
In comparison with OA patients, higher serum concentrations of sICAM-1 (p<0.01), sVCAM-1 (p<0.01), and sE-selectin (p<0.05) were observed in untreated patients with early RA. Six months of treatment with MTX down-regulated serum concentrations of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin (in all cases p<0.001) in the RA patients studied. MTX treatment was also followed by a decrease in the clinical markers of RA activity, such as the number of painful and swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), disease activity score (DAS), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with early RA are characterized by high serum concentrations of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin. Therapy with MTX resulted in clinical improvement and diminished serum levels of soluble CAMs in the RA patients studied, confirming the effectiveness of MTX in early stages of the disease.
Klimiuk
P A
PA
Department of Rheumatology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. klimp@amb.edu.pl
Fiedorczyk
M
M
Sierakowski
S
S
Chwiecko
J
J
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D019040:E-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D008727:Methotrexate