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INTERLEUKIN-6 IN SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA AND GIANT CELL ARTERITIS
Abstract
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are diseases which are characterized by a brisk acute phase response. Cytokines, principally interleukin-1 and interleukin-6, are thought to mediate the release of acute phase proteins from hepatocytes. Employing a sensitive bioassay based on the hybridoma growth factor properties of interleukin-6, we investigated its levels in sequential sera obtained from 15 initially untreated patients with PMR/GCA. We found that interleukin-6 activity was significantly elevated in all untreated patients. Although there was a significant decline in its levels after successful steroid therapy, seven patients continued to have raised serum levels of interleukin-6 for up to 6 months after initiation of treatment. Activated endothelial cells are a potent source of interleukin-6 and its persistence in the circulation may be taken as evidence of continuing disease activity. What is not explicable is the normalization of the acute phase response soon after the commencement of steroid therapy when circulating levels of interleukin-6 are still high. This suggests that steroids may be having additional effects on hepatocyte function.
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“IL-6 plays a key role in the immune-pathogenesis of GCA and was identified as a potential target for the treatment of GCA.95”
From Autoimmune diseases and immune-checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy: Review of the literature and personalized risk-based prevention strategy (2020) · cites this paper as [95]
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Items 101–169 of 169
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“In patients with GCA-associated PMR, Dasgupta et al. [14] found a significant drop in IL-6 levels after starting steroid therapy; despite this, about 50% of patients maintained elevated levels of IL-6 up to 6 months from the start of therapy.”
BackgroundThe role of biologics in the treatment of giant cell arteritis
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“of the levels of IL-6 in patients with GCA [33].”
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“Paraclinically, PMR is associated with increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), as well as increased blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and of proinflammatory cytokines [7] (for example, interleukin (IL) 6 [1,3,8-11] and, in some studies, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a [3,8,11-15]).”
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“IL-6 is a significantly produced cytokine in PMR and GCA patients, which is considered as a potential marker of disease activity sensitive to GC treatment [76].”
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“IL-6 is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of PMR [35].”
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“It has been shown that IL-6 concentration is significantly elevated in the serum of untreated GCA patients [81,82]”
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Metadata
- Authors
- DASGUPTA, B., & PANAYI, G. S.
- Affiliations
- Guy's Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- PANAYI, G. S.
- Venue
- Rheumatology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1990
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 456-458
- ISSN
- 1462-0324 (ISSN-L)
- 1462-0332
- OpenAlex
- W2111894252
- Cited by
- 171
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 5.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Lara D. Veeken (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Vasculitis and related conditions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Otitis Media and Relapsing Polychondritis
- Keywords
- interleukin-6, polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis, acute phase response, serum cytokines, corticosteroid therapy, endothelial cells, hepatocyte function, disease activity, interleukin-1
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte, Blood Cells, Humans, Leukocyte Count, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, T-Lymphocytes, Giant Cell Arteritis, Antigens, CD, Interleukin-6, CD8 Antigens
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