Effect of DMARDs on serum cytokines in inflammatory arthritis patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does initiation of DMARD therapy affect serum cytokines, chemokines, matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in patients presenting with inflammatory arthritis?
IRAS ID
116882
Contact name
Lisa Rump-Goodrich
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
Research summary
Patients presenting in rheumatology clinics with inflammatory arthritis may have one of a number of inter-related disorders. Various criteria are used for diagnosis of the disorders which include rheumatoid arthritis,ankylosing spondlytis and psoriatic arthritis; however specific diagnosis can be difficult. Markers of inflammation such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are measured in circulating blood to assess disease activity. Cytokines and chemokines play a major role in and are altered during pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis. When patients begin disease-modifying medication expression of these markers can be further affected and may or may not correspond to changes in clinical symptoms and disease activity. Patients who are currently on DMARD therapy but are not responding to it may also show altered expression of these markers if the DMARD is altered or the dosage changed.
This study aims to examine profiles of cytokines, chemokines and also matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)in the serum of patients presenting at rheumatology clinic for the first time with inflammatory arthritis or changing DMARD therapy due to non response. Patients will be initiated onto treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)or their current DMARD/dosage changed. Cytokine, chemokine, MMP, TIMP and inflammatory marker profiles will be assessed at baseline and 6 months to observe how levels are affected by medication and clinical progression.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0249
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion