ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN-23 AS A MARKER OF DISEASE ACTIVITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease. The pathogenesis
of RA is mediated by an interdependent network of cytokines which has been extended to include the
cytokine, IL-23. IL-23 production appears to be of great importance in the inflammatory reaction in RA.
Objectives: We aimed in this study to estimate interleukin-23 (IL-23) level in the sera of rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) patients and to determine its relation with disease activity.
Subjects and methods: This study was carried out on 40 patients with RA, and 40 healthy control
subjects. RA disease activity was measured by 28-joint disease activity score (DAS-28). All patients were
subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, radiological and laboratory investigations
including c- reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), anti
cyclic-citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. Serum IL-23 was measured by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results: In RA patients serum IL-23 level was significantly elevated in comparison to the healthy controls
(p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlations between IL-23 level and DAS 28 score. The highest
level was detected in patients with high disease activity (p=0.03). There was statistically significant
correlation between IL-23 levels and ESR, CRP, RF, anti-CCP antibodies.
Conclusion: IL-23 could be a useful marker for disease activity in RA.
Keywords: IL-23; Rheumatoid arthritis; DAS-28