Adamantiades-Behcet's disease: Serum IL-8 is a more reliable marker for disease activity than C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Background: Interleukin 8 (IL-8) has recently been under focused investigat ion because of its possible participation in the evolution of Adamantiades- Behcet's disease. Objective: The reliability of IL-8 as a serological marke r for the activity of the disease was investigated in a prospective consecu tive trial of 34 cases. Methods: The activity of the disease was clinically evaluated by the number of actively involved organ systems registered on t he day of blood sampling and by the presence of oral aphthous ulcers. Serum IL-8 levels were compared to C-reactive protein (CRP) values and the eryth rocyte sedimentation rate, Results: An association of IL-8 levels with the activity of the disease was detected when compared with both the number of active clinical signs (p = 0.024) and the presence of oral aphthous ulcers (p = 0.002). In contrast, no association of CRP and sedimentation rate with the activity of the disease could be detected. A weak correlation of IL-8 levels with sedimentation rate values at 2 h was found (R = 0.37, p = 0.032 ). Conclusion: Our results confirm previous data concerning the significanc e of IL-8 and, in addition, they provide first evidence for the reliability of IL-8 as a serological marker for assess ment of the activity of Adamant iades-Behcet's disease in the follow-up of clinical and therapeutic studies . Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.