Interleukin 8: the major neutrophil chemotaxin in a case of pseudogout

A patient with traumatic osteoarthritis secondary to a pinning procedure, developed monoarthritis following gall bladder surgery. Although the neutrophil count within the synovial fluid (SF) (> 36,000 cells/microliters) suggested an infectious arthritis, there was no improvement following antibiotic therapy. Radiographs indicated the presence of chondrocalcinosis, and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals were detected within the granulocytes of the SF. The condition was alleviated after administration of colchicine. Before the treatment with colchicine, the neutrophil chemotactic and activating peptide, interleukin 8 (IL-8), was the major neutrophil chemotaxin within the SF. During the course of the treatment, the IL-8 concentration continued to rise in the synovium, while the neutrophil count decreased. Our data indicate that IL-8 was the major neutrophil chemotaxin in the SF, and that while the condition was alleviated with colchicine, the underlying disorder still existed, with the potential that discontinuance of the colchicine would result in the unrestrained action of the IL-8.