SERUM CYTOKINES (IL-6, TNF-ALPHA, IL-1-BETA AND IFN-GAMMA) IN ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS - A CLOSE CORRELATION BETWEEN SERUM IL-6 AND DISEASE-ACTIVITY AND SEVERITY

The aim of our study was to analyse the serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tu mour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) a nd interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) levels in patients with AS and their re lationship with disease activity. An ELISA test was used to analyse se rum cytokine (IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IFN-gamma) levels in 69 pa tients with AS. Results were compared with those from 43 patients with RA and 36 patients with non-inflammatory back pain. The relationship between serum concentrations of the different cytokines and parameters of disease activity and severity in AS patients was also evaluated. I L-6 and TNF-alpha serum levels, but not IL-1beta and IFN-gamma, were s ignificantly higher in AS than in NIBP. However, patients with RA show ed higher serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma than both AS a nd NIBP patients. In AS, IL-6 correlated with clinical parameters of d isease activity with significant correlation being observed with labor atory parameters of inflammation such as ESR, CRP, platelet count and clinical parameters of severity such as vertebral mobility. TNF-alpha did not correlate with laboratory or clinical parameters of activity. Macrophagic cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-6), are increased in AS patien ts and IL-6 closely correlated with the activity of the disease.