ENHANCED LEVELS OF LEUKOTRIENE-B4 IN SYNOVIAL-FLUID IN LYME-DISEASE

THE purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential role of LTB4 a nd cysteinyl leukotrienes in Lyme disease, (LD). Therefore, a total nu mber of 34 patients divided into four groups was studied. The patients were classified as having Lyme arthritis (n = 7) or Lyme meningitis ( n = 10), and as control groups patients with a non-inflammatory arthro pathy (NIA) (n = 7) and healthy subjects (n = 10). LTB4 as well as LTC 4 secretion from stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) from a ll groups of patients showed no statistical differences. LTB4 levels i n synovial fluid were significantly increased in patients with Lyme ar thritis (median 142 ng/ml, range 88-296) when compared to the control subjects with NIA (median 46 ng/ml, range 28-72) (p < 0.05). No statis tical difference of urinary LTE4 levels between all the different grou ps of patients was observed. These results show that cysteinyl leukotr ienes do not play an important role in the pathogenesis of LD. In cont rast to previous findings in rheumatoid arthritis, LTB4 production fro m stimulated PMNL was not found to be increased in LD. However, the si gnificantly elevated levels of LTB4 in synovial fluid of patients with Lyme arthritis underline the involvement of LTB4 in the pathogenesis of this disease.