SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR (SIL-2R) IS A MARKER OF DISEASE-ACTIVITY IN PSORIASIS - A COMPARISON OF SIL-2R, SCD27, SCD4, SCD8 AND SICAM-1

Psoriasis is a T-cell-mediated inflammatory skin disease which can be treated successfully with immunosuppressive drugs, Our purpose was to evaluate disease activity of psoriasis and the effect of immunosuppres sive treatment by monitoring the soluble T-cell products sIL-2R, sCD27 , sCD4, sCD8 and sICAM-1. Twenty-two patients mere treated orally with escalating dosages of cyclosporin A (n = 17)(3-5 mg/kg/day) or FK506 (n = 5)(0.05-0.15 mg/kg/day), The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (P ASI) was used to monitor clinical activity of psoriasis, Serum samples were analyzed by ELISA. sIL-2R levels showed the highest correlation with psoriasis disease activity (r(s) = 0.89; p < 0.05). The longitudi nal part of this study showed that levels of sIL-2R and sCD27 decrease d during immunosuppressive treatment but remained above normal even in patients successfully treated. Our data indicate that sIL-2R levels a re web correlated with disease activity in patients with psoriasis, sI L-2R levels closely follow the decrease of disease activity during imm unosuppressive treatment.