Abstract
Objective:
To analyze the changes in soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels following treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods:
Serial measurements of sIL-2R levels were made over 24 weeks in 40 patients with RA, treated with intramuscular (im) gold plus 3 im injections of either 120 mg methylprednisolone acetate or placebo.
Results:
sIL-2R levels were reduced in the glucocorticoid treated group in contrast to the gold only group, where levels initially increased. At 24 weeks, mean sIL-2R levels did not significantly differ from pretreatment levels in either group, despite improvements in clinical measures.
Conclusions:
In our study, sIL-2R levels do not correlate with short term clinical measures of disease activity. Their significance for longer term prognostic use remains to be determined.
Publication types
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Clinical Trial
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Comparative Study
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Randomized Controlled Trial
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / blood
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / immunology*
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Blood Sedimentation
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CD3 Complex / metabolism
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Gold Sodium Thiomalate / administration & dosage
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Gold Sodium Thiomalate / therapeutic use
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Humans
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Longitudinal Studies
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Methylprednisolone / administration & dosage
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Methylprednisolone / analogs & derivatives
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Methylprednisolone / therapeutic use
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Methylprednisolone Acetate
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Middle Aged
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Prognosis
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Receptors, Interleukin-2 / metabolism*
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Solubility
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Synovial Membrane / immunology
Substances
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents
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CD3 Complex
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Receptors, Interleukin-2
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Gold Sodium Thiomalate
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Methylprednisolone Acetate
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Methylprednisolone