Serum and synovial fluid tgf-1 in ankylosing spondylitis patients

Abstract EN

Hypothesis : this study was carried out to estimate the level of TGF–β1 in both the serum and synovial fluids of patients with AS and to assess the potential usefulness of its measurement as a marker of the clinical features, disease activity, and radiographic grading of sacroiliitis.

Methodology : Enzyme–linked immunoassay was used to quantify TGF– β1 in 20 AS patients and 20 healthy individuals.

All patients were subjected to clinical examination.

The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was used to measure the disease activity.

Analysis of the type and frequency of abnormalities of the sacroiliac joints in our AS patients was performed by computed tomography (CT).

Results : the level of serum TGF–β1 was significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in AS patients than in controls.

TGF–β1 concentration in the synovial fluid were 5 fold higher than in the corresponding serum samples indicating intra–articular production.

Also, there were significant correlations between both serum and synovial TGF–β1 and BASDAI and radiographic grading of sacroiliitis.

Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis that TGF–β1 has a role in the pathogenesis of AS.

Measurement of TGF –β1, either in the serum or in the synovial fluid, was found to be a useful marker that reflected both disease activity and radiographic grading of sacroiliitis.

Longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the role of TGF-β1 in protection against ankylosis of the spine.

It might also have a role in the future of therapy in patients with spinal involvement in AS.