Serum level of sELAM-1 in psoriatic patients correlates with disease activity

Background Endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1) acts as an ad hesion ligand for neutrophils and monocytes and the expression of this mole cule on the vascular endothelium may reflect its ability to recruit neutrop hils from circulation. The next step is the transendothelial migration of n eutrophils into lesional psoriatic skin. ELAM-1 may also exist in a soluble form. Methods We determined the serum levels of ELAM-1 by ELISA in 41 patients wi th psoriasis and 20 controls. Results Patients with acute psoriasis displayed higher levels of ELAM-1 (85 .45 +/- 47.72 ng/ml) than controls (36.02 +/- 15.60 ng/ml) and patients wit h chronic disease (61.24 +/- 27.91 ng/ml). In 25 patients we measured the s erum level of ELAM-1 twice: at the beginning and after treatment of the dis ease and we did not find any significant changes. We also found a correlati on between serum ELAM-1 and PASI score. Conclusions These data suggest that there is a high serum level of E-select in in psoriatic subjects even after clearing of the disease. Serum E-select in may reflect the general activation of endothelial cells in the disease a nd may be a new sensitive marker of disease activity. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.