title: Serum monocyte chemotactic protein-1 concentrations distinguish patients with ankylosing spondylitis from patients with mechanical low back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify potential blood-derived biomarkers distinguishing patients with ankylosing spondylitis from those with mechanical low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and synovial fluid samples from our cohorts were assayed by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the following inflammatory biomarkers: interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-23, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-α (IFN-α), IFN-β, metalloproteinase (MMP-3), and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After screening, a panel of serum and synovial fluid samples with a series of potential biomarkers, cytokines including IL-6, IL-8, MMP-3, and MCP-1 were selected for additional testing because they exhibited higher concentrations than paired serum samples in the synovial fluid. Sera obtained from 50 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 27 patients with mechanical low back pain were measured for these biomarkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MCP-1 serum was identified as a biomarker candidate, distinguishing ankylosing spondylitis from mechanical low back pain with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 83.3%.
authors.affiliation: Spondyloarthropaty Group, Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Militar Central/Universidad de la Sabana, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romero-Sanchez
authors.forename: Hsi-Kai
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: Ming-Shiou
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Ruey-Hong
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: I-Chang
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Londoño
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valle-Oñate
authors.forename: Hwee Siew
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Bernard P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: James Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2