title: Increased serum levels of some inflammatory markers in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As known multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory progressive disease. The aim of this study was to assess some inflammatory markers in MS patients and their relationships with clinical subgroups and disability status.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT), YKL-40, IFN-γ and TNF-α were measured by an ELISA microplate reader in 59 MS patients and in 29 healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum PCT and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in patients with MS than control group (P<0.001). Serum YKL-40 and IFN-γ concentrations were elevated in MS group compared the healthy subjects, but the difference was not significantly. CIS, RRMS and SPMS groups had higher levels of PCT and TNF-α than control group. YKL-40 levels were positively correlated with EDSS score (r=0.412, P=0.001). IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were found to be negatively correlated with EDSS score (r=-0.347, P=0.007 and r=-0.328, P=0.011, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased levels of these inflammatory markers might provide important contributions to the underlying inflammatory pathways in MS.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Biochemistry Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey - dr_semauysal@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meriç Yilmaz
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boğdaycioğlu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mungan Öztürk
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ak
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000097:blood; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D037102:Lectins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide