Cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis

The aim of this research was to determine the clinical significance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 in evaluation of the activity of rheumatoid arthritis. Cytokine concentrations in serum samples and synovial fluid were measured by immunoenzymatic methods using kits for human interleukins and the Disease Activity Score 28 in 64 patients with active disease. The control group consisted of 25 subjects with arthritis of the knee and osteoarthrosis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have significantly high (p < 0.01) concentrations of examined cytokines in relation to patients with osteoarthritis. By comparing concentrations in 30 patients with high, 14 patients with moderate and 20 patients with mild activity of rheumatoid arthritis, it was established that patients with high degree of disease activity have significantly high (p<0.01; p<0.05) concentrations of examined cytokines in the blood and synovial fluid in relation to patients with moderate and mild disease. We have concluded that cytokine concentrations are good indicators of the degree of rheumatoid arthritis activity. This research is a contribution to understanding the insufficiently known pathogenetic mechanisms of cytokines, especially IL-18, in active disease.