RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Elevated Circulating TWEAK Levels in Systemic Sclerosis: Association with Lower Frequency of Pulmonary Fibrosis
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1657
OP 1662
DO 10.3899/jrheum.081310
VO 36
IS 8
A1 KOICHI YANABA
A1 AYUMI YOSHIZAKI
A1 EIJI MUROI
A1 TOSHIHIDE HARA
A1 FUMIHIDE OGAWA
A1 AYA USUI
A1 MINORU HASEGAWA
A1 MANABU FUJIMOTO
A1 KAZUHIKO TAKEHARA
A1 SHINICHI SATO
YR 2009
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/8/1657.abstract
AB Objective. To determine serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) and its clinical associations in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods. Serum TWEAK levels from 70 patients with SSc were examined by ELISA. In a retrospective longitudinal study, sera from 23 patients with SSc were analyzed (followup 0.8–7.2 yrs). Results. Serum TWEAK levels were elevated in patients with SSc (n = 70) compared with healthy controls (n = 31) and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 22). Among patients with SSc, there were no differences in serum TWEAK levels between limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc. Patients with SSc who had elevated TWEAK levels less often had pulmonary fibrosis and decreased vital capacity than those with normal TWEAK levels. In the longitudinal study, SSc patients with inactive pulmonary fibrosis or without pulmonary fibrosis consistently exhibited increased TWEAK levels, while those with active pulmonary fibrosis showed decreased TWEAK levels during the followup period. Conclusion. TWEAK levels were increased in patients with SSc, and associated with a lower frequency of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with SSc. TWEAK could be a protective factor against the development of pulmonary fibrosis in this disease and as such would be a possible therapeutic target.