EVALUATION OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS AS AN ACTIVITY CRITERION

This study evaluated interleukin-6 levels as an activity criterion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compared if with other activity criteria . We evaluated 35 patients with active RA, 31 with inactive RA, and 25 patients with osteoarthritis, in addition to 28 healthy individuals. Serum interleukin-6 levels were higher in active RA patients than in t hose with inactive RA, or osteoarthritis and healthy individuals (P<0. 001). Serum interleukin-6 levels of patients with active RA were posit ively correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive p rotein, and alpha(2)-globulin levels (P<0.001), but there was a negati ve correlation with serum albumin levels (P<0.05). We conclude that in terleukin-6 can be responsible for both the most systemic manifestatio ns of RA and for its local manifestations.