Significance of serum interleukin-8 levels in patients with Behcet's disease: high levels may indicate vascular involvement.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown previously to associate with different individual clinical manifestations and activity of Behcet's disease (BD), but its association with vascular involvement has not been established. METHODS: Forty-five untreated patients with BD and 29 healthy individuals were included in the study. The activity of patients was based on the existence of two or more symptoms and a statistically significantly high Behcet's Disease Activity Index (BDAI) at the time of the study. IL-8, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) results were evaluated with respect to activity, vascular involvement, and other specific individual clinical manifestations of the disease. RESULTS: IL-8 levels were found to be significantly elevated in active BD compared with inactive BD (P = 0.006) and healthy controls (P = 0.000), with median values of 267 (53-2000), 137 (52-290), and 58 pg/mL (53-160 pg/mL), respectively. Unlike ESR and CRP, IL-8 levels showed a high correlation with BDAI scores (r = 0.743, P = 0.00) and the number of active clinical manifestations (r = 0.646, P = 0.00). Serum levels of IL-8 were increased in patients with oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye lesions, and vascular lesions, with median values and significance levels of 254.5 (53-2000), P = 0.05; 254.5 (52-1400), P = 0.03; 254.5 (72-2000), P = 0.029; and 593 pg/mL (110-2000 pg/mL), P = 0.001, respectively. In addition, IL-8 levels in the active patient group with vascular involvement were significantly higher than the levels in those without vascular involvement. CONCLUSION: Serum IL-8 levels are increased in the active phase of BD. This marker may be useful in the early detection of vascular involvement.

Does hyaluronan affect inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis?

Our aim was to investigate the effects of hyaluronan on inflammatory cytokines in the synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study was single blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized. We administered hyaluronan to 22 patients in the study group and placebo to 19 in the control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of cytokines. Both HA and placebo caused a significant decrease in interleukin (IL)-6 levels (P=0.0001 and P=0.04, respectively). But it was more significant in the study group. However, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels did not change in either group (P>0.05). The amount of effusion decreased significantly in the study group (P=0.001) but not in the control group (P=0.133). It can be concluded that hyaluronan considerably decreased IL-6 levels, which correlated with clinical improvement, but had no effect on IL-8 and TNF-alpha levels in synovial fluid. However, larger studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to explain the effect of hyaluronan on cytokines.