Pro-inflammatory role of serotonin and interleukin-6 in arthritis and spondyloarthropathies - measurement of disease activity by bone scan and effect of steroids

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of rheumatology Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 41 - 43
• Main Authors: Pichler, Robert, Maschek, Wilhelmine, Krieglsteiner, Sigbert, Raml, Andreas, Schmekal, Bernhard, Berg, Jörg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 01-01-2002; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis; Arthritis - blood; Arthritis - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis - drug therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Bone and Bones - diagnostic imaging; Bone Scintigraphy; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Cytokine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-6 - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Prednisolone - therapeutic use; Radionuclide Imaging - methods; Serotonin; Serotonin - blood; Radionuclide study; Human; Biochemical analysis; Immune response; Serotonin; Pathogenesis; Cytokine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Biological marker; Inflammatory joint disease; Arthritis; Inflammation; Scintigraphy; Interleukin 6; Spondylarthropathy; Chronic; Correlation analysis; Neuromediator; Arthropathy; Medical imagery; Serum; Bone; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0300-9742; 1502-7732
• DOI: 10.1080/030097402317255363

Objective: As serotonin is a mediator of inflammatory joint disease, serum levels were investigated in human patients with arthritis for a possible corresponding role as a disease marker. Design: 48 patients were evaluated by bone scan for disease activity. 5-HT and CRP were measured in the whole group, and IL-6 in those not yet receiving corticosteroids. The pro-inflammatory parameters were compared to each other and to scintigraphic features. Results: The serum levels of serotonin did not correspond to disease activity measured by CRP, IL-6 or activity on joints in skeletal scintigraphy. No difference was seen in comparison to the values of a control group, but when glucocorticoid treatment was included, low 5-HT serum values were observed. A significant correlation between CRP and IL-6 as indicators of inflammation and bone scan results versus CRP could be shown. Conclusion: The measurement of serum serotonin provides no relevant information about disease activity in synovial inflammation. For monitoring osteoarthritis and synovial inflammation, bone scan and laboratory determination of CRP and IL-6 together appear to present useful information about infestation in the disease process.