Abstract Aim of the work: This study aimed to assess serum levels of some adipocytokines (leptin,
adiponectin and resistin) and IL-6 in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to evaluate their
relationship to disease activity and functional capacity.
Patient and method: Twenty-five AS patients were enrolled. Body mass index (BMI), Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) and acute phase reactants, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, were assessed.
Serum leptin, adiponectin, resistin and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were determined using enzymelinked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results: The mean levels of leptin (9.1 ± 3.9 ng/ml), resistin (2.27± 1.15 ng/ml) and IL-6
(9.2 ± 5.8 pg/ml); were significantly elevated in patients with AS compared to the controls
(p= 0.000, p= 0.0028 and p= 0.000, respectively). Only serum leptin levels correlated significantly
with IL-6 (p= 0.004), and both serum leptin and IL-6 levels correlated significantly with BASDAI (p= 0.02 and p= 0.005, respectively), ESR (p= 0.04) and CRP (p= 0.01 and p= 0.006, respectively) in AS patients. Serum resistin did not correlate with any of the AS disease parameters, whereas, serum adiponectin nei ther significantly elevated nor correlated with any of these parameters.
Conclusion: The associations of significantly increased levels of serum leptin and IL-6 with AS
disease activity parameters give clues to their role in the inflammatory process of the disease. Failure
to find any correlation between high serum resistin levels and AS disease activity parameters is suggestive of its role in the pathogenesis rather than disease activity. |
