HIGH PLASMA-LEVELS OF THE SOLUBLE FORM OF CD30 ACTIVATION MOLECULE REFLECT DISEASE-ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH WEGENERS GRANULOMATOSIS

PURPOSE: TO determine the plasma levels of soluble CD30 (sCD30) in Weg ener's granulomatosis (WG) patients, and to investigate the possible c orrelation of sCD30 with disease extent and activity. PATIENTS AND MET HODS: sCD30 was determined by radioimmunoassay in 57 WG patients, 25 p atients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 23 patients with bacterial inf ections and 21 healthy controls (HC). The extent and activity of WG di sease were assayed according to disease extent index (DEI) and standar d laboratory parameters. RESULTS: Plasma sCD30 levels in generalized W G (22.5 +/- 1.5 U/mL), but not in initial phase WG (12.1 +/- 4.0 U/mL) , were significantly increased compared with HC (8.8 +/- 0.9 U/mL, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, of 11 generalized WG patients who received long -term follow-up, sCD30 levels declined when the disease activity chang ed from active disease to remission (29.1 +/- 1.9 U/mL to 15.9 +/- 1.8 U/mL, P = 0.0001). Similar results were observed in the whole group o f generalized WG, eg, sCD30 levels in active disease (29.4 +/- 1.4 U/m L) were significantly higher than in partial remission (17.9 +/- 1.9 U /mL, P < 0.001) and in complete remission (13.7 +/- 3.3 U/mL, P < 0.00 1). No significant difference was noted between complete remission and HC. In addition, sCD30 levels were correlated with other parameters o f disease extent and activity such as DEI, plasma levels of sIL-2R, PR 3-ANCA, ESR and CRP. The (6.9 +/- 0.9 U/mL) were not significantly dif ferent compared with HC. CONCLUSION: Plasma levels of sCD30 are not on ly significantly increased but also correlate with disease extent and activity in generalized WG. These findings suggest that sCD30 can act as a useful marker for evaluation of disease extent and activity, and that generalized WG may be associated with Th2-type immune response. ( C) 1997 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.