title: Human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) and interleukin-I receptor antagonist (IL-I Ra) in different stages of acute rheumatic fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) results from an autoimmune response to infection with group A streptococci. Serum concentrations of two anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-I receptor antagonist (IL-IRa) and human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) were determined in patients with ARF at the time of admission and 3 months after treatment in order to evaluate changes in cytokine concentrations occurring during different stages of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum concentrations of two anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-I Ra and sTNF-RI , were investigated in children with ARF at the time of admission (n=21) and after 3 months following the cessation of treatment (n=15). The sTNF-RI and sIL-IRa were measured quantitatively in serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of IL-1Ra and sTNF-RI were found to be significantly higher during acute phase and remission period of ARF when compared to age-matched healthy controls (p=0.001 and p=0.0001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that two anti-inflammatory cytokines, serum sTNFRI and IL-1Ra, are increased in acute and remission stages of ARF reflecting activation of the cellular immune response. We suggest this increase might probably be generated in an effort to counteract the already increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. necil.kutukculer@ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Necil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kütükçüler
authors.forename: Neslihan E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: Betül Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Sözeri
authors.forename: Güldane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koturoğlu
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kurugöl
authors.forename: Ruhi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ozyürek
authors.forename: Güzide
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aksu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I