title: Dynamics of serum angiopoietin-2 levels correlate with efficacy of intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy for interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) regulates the transition between vascular quiescence and angiogenesis in a context-dependent manner. In systemic sclerosis (SSc), serum Ang2 levels correlate with its disease activity. Therefore, we investigated the clinical significance of monitoring serum Ang2 levels during intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide (IVCY) therapy in SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum Ang2 levels were determined by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in seven SSc patients treated with IVCY and 20 healthy controls. In the patient group, serum samples were drawn the day before each IVCY therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum Ang2 levels tended to be higher in SSc patients before IVCY than in healthy controls and significantly correlated with KL-6, surfactant protein D, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein in SSc patients with ILD. In sera drawn before the last IVCY, Ang2 levels were significantly decreased compared with initial levels. Notably, Δ serum Ang2 levels between baseline and after the first IVCY significantly correlated with Δ ILD score between before and after the entire IVCY therapy (r = 0.90, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monitoring Ang2 levels during IVCY treatment may be useful to evaluate and predict the efficacy of this treatment for SSc-ILD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Kaname
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akamata
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aozasa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masui
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichimura
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Zenshiro
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugaya
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadono
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide