Clinical significance of monitoring serum adiponectin levels during intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy in interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis
Yuri Masui1 , Yoshihide Asano1 , Takehiro Takahashi1 , Sayaka Shibata1 , Kaname Akamata1 , Naohiko Aozasa1 , Shinji Noda1 , Takashi Taniguchi1 , Yohei Ichimura1 , Tetsuo Toyama1 , Zenshiro Tamaki1 , Hayakazu Sumida1, Koichi Yanaba1, Yayoi Tada1, Makoto Sugaya1, Shinichi Sato1, Takafumi Kadono1
31 January 2012
20 April 2012
19 May 2012
PDF (member's only)
Objective To investigate the clinical significance of monitoring serum adiponectin levels during intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide (IVCY) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD).
Methods Serum adiponectin levels were determined by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in eight SSc patients with active ILD who underwent IVCY and 27 healthy controls. In patients, serum samples were drawn the day before each IVCY.
Results Serum adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in SSc patients with active ILD before the first IVCY compared with healthy controls [median (25-75 percentile): 3.21 (2.70-4.19) vs. 7.42 (6.06-10.82) µg/ml; P<0.01). After the completion of whole IVCY, serum adiponectin levels were significantly increased [17.55 (6.47-39.45) µg/ml; P<0.05] compared with the initial levels, and this increase significantly correlated with the decrease in ILD scores. Importantly, the dynamics of serum adiponectin levels during the IVCY therapy reflected its efficacy against SSc-ILD over the treatment and the follow-up period.
Conclusion The monitoring of serum adiponectin levels during the IVCY treatment may be useful to identify SSc patients with ILD refractory to the treatment and at high risk for exacerbations during the follow-up period.
Adiponectin - Interstitial lung disease - Intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide - Systemic sclerosis