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Disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis: relationships of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble interleukin 2-receptor, soluble CD4/CD8 ratio, neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer to traditional severity and functional measures.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Beckham, JC; Caldwell, DS; Peterson, BL; Pippen, AM; Currie, MS; Keefe, FJ; Weinberg, JB
Published in: J Clin Immunol
September 1992

Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Although various laboratory and clinical measurements are useful in managing these patients, there is a need for better tests to quantitatively assess disease activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of certain immune and inflammation (I-I) parameters with four traditional disease severity measures and a functional measure in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A single set of patient blood samples was analyzed, and four traditional disease severity measures and patient functional statuses were determined from 64 consecutive outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), sCD4 and sCD8 (and the sCD4/sCD8 ratio), neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer were analyzed in relationship to Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), physician assessment of disease activity, joint pain count, grip strength, and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) scores. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had higher mean levels of all I-I measures (except sCD4) compared to healthy subjects. Initial significant correlations between TNF, sIL-2R, and D-dimer and several disease severity and functional measures were detected. When we controlled for the covariates age, gender, race, and medications, regression analyses indicated that, as a group, the I-I measures were significantly related to grip strength, physician disease severity rating, ESR, and total joint pain. When the predictive values of the I-I measures were tested controlling for the covariates and ESR, D-dimer was independently and significantly associated with variability in grip strength, physician disease severity, and AIMS physical disability, while TNF was associated with a significant amount of variability in total joint pain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Published In

J Clin Immunol

DOI

ISSN

0271-9142

Publication Date

September 1992

Volume

12

Issue

5

Start / End Page

353 / 361

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Neopterin
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Immunology
  • Humans
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
  • Female
  • CD4-CD8 Ratio
 

Citation

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Beckham, J. C., Caldwell, D. S., Peterson, B. L., Pippen, A. M., Currie, M. S., Keefe, F. J., & Weinberg, J. B. (1992). Disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis: relationships of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble interleukin 2-receptor, soluble CD4/CD8 ratio, neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer to traditional severity and functional measures. J Clin Immunol, 12(5), 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00920793
Beckham, J. C., D. S. Caldwell, B. L. Peterson, A. M. Pippen, M. S. Currie, F. J. Keefe, and J. B. Weinberg. “Disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis: relationships of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble interleukin 2-receptor, soluble CD4/CD8 ratio, neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer to traditional severity and functional measures.J Clin Immunol 12, no. 5 (September 1992): 353–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00920793.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Clin Immunol

DOI

ISSN

0271-9142

Publication Date

September 1992

Volume

12

Issue

5

Start / End Page

353 / 361

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Neopterin
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Immunology
  • Humans
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
  • Female
  • CD4-CD8 Ratio