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Serum levels similar between infliximab-treated ankylosing spondylitis patients, controls
Atherosclerosis biomarkers osteopontin and angiopoietin-2 serum levels were related in nondiabetic ankylosing spondylitis patients undergoing tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonist therapy and similar to those of healthy controls, according to recent study data.
Researchers studied osteopontin (OPN) serum concentrations among 30 ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients without diabetes undergoing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) antagonist-infliximab therapy and 48 matched controls. Infliximab was previously prescribed to patients with active disease. All patients initiated non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy immediately after AS diagnosis and were undergoing treatment at study recruitment.
The researchers observed correlations of OPN serum levels with clinical features, disease activity, systemic inflammation, metabolic syndrome and several biomarkers of atherosclerosis, as well as potential changes in OPN concentrations before and 2 hours after infliximab infusion.
At baseline AS patients undergoing infliximab therapy had low disease activity (mean BASDAI, 2.94) and OPN serum levels similar to those of healthy controls. There were no differences in OPN levels based on specific clinical disease features, and no correlation was observed between OPN concentration and insulin resistance and adipokines.
OPN and angiopoietin-2 (Angpt-2) serum levels, however, were positively correlated (r=.397; P=.04). One infliximab infusion resulted in marginally reduced OPN levels (24,112.19 ± 14,608.73 pg/mL, before infusion vs. 21,806.62 ± 11,390.83 pg/mL, 2 hours after; P=.05).
Unlike previous studies, researchers said, “We found a positive correlation between OPN and Angpt-2 serum levels. We did not observe significant differences in the levels of OPN between [nondiabetic] AS patients and controls.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.