title: Levels of plasma-soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) are correlated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether levels of plasma-soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) are elevated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and whether levels are correlated with disease activity and other variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study included 71 patients with RA and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical characteristics and laboratory measures, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) were assessed. Plasma levels of sTREM-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with RA had significantly higher plasma sTREM-1 levels than healthy controls (170.10 ± 84.71 pg/ml vs 97.41 ± 40.64 pg/ml; p < 0.001). In patients with RA, plasma sTREM-1 levels were found to be correlated with DAS28, ESR, CRP, white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, and plasma TNF-α levels (r = 0.329, p = 0.005; r = 0.241, p = 0.043; r = 0.314, p < 0.001; r = 0.261, p = 0.028; r = 0.278, p = 0.019; and r = 0.313, p = 0.009, respectively). Plasma sTREM-1 levels in patients with active disease status (DAS28 > 3.2) were significantly higher than in those with low disease status (DAS28 ≤ 3.2; 208.89 ± 100.14 pg/ml vs 150.29 ± 68.70 pg/ml; p = 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with RA had higher plasma sTREM-1 levels than healthy controls, and plasma sTREM-1 levels were correlated with disease activity measures, suggesting that plasma sTREM-1 could play a role in the inflammatory process associated with TNF-α, and that it may be a useful disease activity marker in RA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun-Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: You Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jung-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility; D000073871:Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C408842:TREM1 protein, human; D000073871:Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein