title: Effects of glucocorticoids and tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors on both clinical and molecular parameters in patients with Takayasu arteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of sequential treatment with glucocorticoid and tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA).
  
  
  METHODS
  In five patients with TA, the effects of the sequential treatment with prednisone for 5-7 months and then with adalimumab (ADA) + methotrexate (MTX) or infliximab + MTX, or with ADA only, for 12 months on both clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All treatments improved both symptoms and laboratory parameters without the development of side-effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was hypothesized that MMP-9 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin could be markers of the response to the treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology, International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology, International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology, International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buffone
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Unit of Vascular Surgery, Annunziata Hospital of Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarcello
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological, Biological and Chemical Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierandrea
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rende
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology, International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Franciscis
keywords: Adalimumab; infliximab; matrix metalloproteinases-9; methotrexate; neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; takayasu arteritis