title: Gelsolin levels are decreased in ankylosing spondylitis patients undergoing anti-TNF-alpha therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether circulating gelsolin (GSN) levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) undergoing TNF-α antagonist-infliximab-therapy are altered compared with controls and to establish whether disease activity, systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome are potential determinants of circulating GSN levels in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed GSN serum concentrations in a series of 30 non-diabetic AS patients without cardiovascular (CV) disease undergoing TNF-α antagonist-infliximab therapy and 48 matched controls. GSN levels were measured immediately before and after an infliximab infusion. Correlations of GSN serum levels with disease activity, systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome were assessed. Potential changes in GSN concentration following an infusion of anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody-infliximab were also analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although at the time of the study AS patients undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy had adequate control of the disease (mean BASDAI 2.94), they showed lower GSN serum levels than healthy controls (mean±SD: 38660.42±23624.6 ng/ml versus 68975.43±31246.79 ng/ml; p<0.0001). When AS patients were stratified according to sex, we observed that GSN levels were significantly lower in men than in women (p=0.032). However, no differences in GSN levels according to the specific clinical features of the disease were seen. No association was found between GSN concentration and adipokines or biomarkers of endothelial cell activation. However, correlation between basal GSN levels and insulin resistance was observed. A single infliximab infusion did not lead to significant changes in GSN levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GSN concentration is reduced in AS patients undergoing periodical anti-TNF-α therapy and low disease activity. Potential association with some metabolic syndrome features seems to exist.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology, Genetics and Atherosclerosis Research Group on Systemic Inflammatory Diseases, Rheumatology Division, IFIMAV, Santander, Spain. fernandagenre@gmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Genre
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Mejías
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Miranda-Filloy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ubilla
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carnero-López
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gómez-Acebo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rueda-Gotor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Juanatey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llorca
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: González-Gay
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D062072:Patient Acuity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D018260:Gelsolin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab