比較白細胞介素12 p70在類風濕性關節炎及僵直性脊椎炎的關係

Serum levels of interleukin 12p70 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis

目的：探討白細胞介素12 p70（IL-12 p70）在僵直性脊椎炎及類風濕性關節炎患者血清中的濃度，並比較其濃度與發炎指數（CRP及ESR）間的相關性。方法：本研究共納入80位僵直性脊椎炎患者，80位類風濕性關節炎患者，及40位健康受試者。利用流式細胞儀方式檢驗血清中白細胞介素12 p70（IL-12 p70）的濃度，並將此濃度於三組不同組別中依據C反應蛋白及紅血球沉降速率等發炎指數的陽性或陰性進行統計分析。結果：在類風濕性關節炎患者血清中，白細胞介素12 p70濃度高於健康受試者（p = 0.007），但在僵直性脊椎炎與健康受試者間的比較則沒有統計學上之意義（p = 0.080）。另外在類風濕性關節炎患者血清中，白細胞介素12 p70濃度與陽性的C反應蛋白及陽性紅血球沉降速率濃度有統計上的意義 （分別為p < 0.001及p ＝ 0.033）。即使在C反應蛋白正常的類風濕性關節炎病人這組中，我們發現白細胞介素12 p70濃度也比健康受試者高（p = 0.044）。血清白細胞介素12 p70濃度只有在僵直性脊椎炎患者合併陽性C反應蛋這組與健康受試者間的比較有達到統計學意義（p = 0.035）。結論：白細胞介素12 p70於類風濕性關節炎患者具有陽性C反應蛋白及具有陽性紅血球沉降速率等兩組的濃度較健康受試者高且達到統計學意義。

Objective: IL-12 has been demonstrated to prime the selective expansion of T helper (Th) cells with a Th1-type pattern of cytokine production. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum interleukin (IL)-12 p70 concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy controls. Methods: Two hundred serum samples from 80 RA patients, 80 AS patients, and 40 healthy controls were tested with cytometric bead array kits specific for IL-12 p70. The IL-12p70 level was also compared based on subgroups by their levels of CRP and ESR. Results: IL-12 p70 was significantly higher in the RA patients but not in the AS patients compared with the healthy controls, and more markedly in the RA patients with high CRP or ESR subgroups (p < 0.001, p = 0.033 respectively). Conclusion: An increased level of IL-12p70 was associated with RA patients with high CRP and ESR, but not with AS patients.