title: Serum interleukin-6 levels in response to biologic treatment in patients with psoriasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease involving a complex network of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6. We tested the hypothesis that serum IL-6 level is a useful indicator of disease activity and predicts the treatment response to biologics in patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 113 psoriasis patients treated with biologics (73 with infliximab [IFX], 24 with adalimumab [ADA], and 16 with ustekinumab [UST]) in our hospital. Disease severity was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, and Disease Activity Score 28 based on C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment, serum IL-6 levels significantly correlated with PASI scores in patients with psoriasis vulgaris (r = 0.432, p = 0.001) and with DAS28-CRP in patients with psoriatic arthritis (r = 0.469, p = 0.010). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly decreased by IFX (from 4.8 to 1.5) and ADA (from 2.5 to 1.4) therapy. In psoriatic arthritis, serum IL-6 levels at the endpoint tended to be lower in patients who achieved DAS28-CRP <2.3 (European League Against Rheumatism remission criteria) than in patients who did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-6 level may be a useful biomarker for assessing disease activity in patients with psoriasis and for predicting responsiveness of joint symptoms to biologic treatment.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology , Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Shinnosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology , Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology , Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: a Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology , Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Akimichi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D016207:Cytokines; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069549:Ustekinumab / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000069285:Infliximab; D000069549:Ustekinumab; D000068879:Adalimumab
keywords: Adalimumab; Infliximab; Interleukin-6; Psoriasis; Ustekinumab