Serum growth-regulated oncogene-alpha chemokine and its correlation with pulmonary fibrosis in systemic sclerosis

الملخص EN

Objective : to determine serum levels of Growth-Regulated Onchogene-α (GRO-α) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and correlate these levels with the presence and extent of pulmonary fibrosis detected by pulmonary function tests (% DLCO) and high resolution CT scan of lungs (HRCT).

Methodology : the study included 23 SSc patients (8 limited and 15 diffuse) and 15 age and sex-matched healthy controls.

All patients and controls were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, routine blood investigations, manometry, chest X-ray, spirometry to calculate the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and high resolution CT lung scan.

Serum levels of GRO-α, anticentromere (ACA) and antitopoisomerase I (anti-top.I) antibodies were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA technique).

Results : serum levels of GRO-αwere significantly higher in SSc patients (21.6 ± 10.98 pg / ml) than in healthy controls (8 ± 1.13 pg / ml) (p < 0.001).

While there was no statistically significant difference between diffuse and limited SSc as regards GRO-α level (p > 0.05), SSc patients with high serum GRO-α level had significantly increased frequency of decreased % DLCO (p < 0.01) and the presence of anti-top I (p < 0.01) compared to those with normal GRO-α level.

In contrast, SSc patients with normal GRO-α level had increased frequency of ACA (p < 0.001).

There was statistically significant association between elevated level of GRO-α and severity of lung function detected by decreased % DLCO (p < 0.01) and high resolution lung CT scan (p<0.001).

Also, a highly significant negative correlation existed between serum GRO-αand decreased % DLCO (r = -0.

768, p < 0.001).

Conclusions : our results suggest that elevated serum level of GRO-α in SSc patients is correlated with pulmonary affection and may reflect the severity of lung fibrosis.

Repeated and sequential analysis of GRO-α may clarify their usefulness as a serological marker for the severity of lung injury and enable us to better understand the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis in SSc.