Smartest Doc
Dickkopf-1 level is lower in patients with ankylosing spondylitis than in healthy people and is not influenced by anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy
Rheumatology International, 08/11/2011
Kwon SR et al. – The findings suggest the low serum Dickkopf–1 (DKK–1) level is related to the pathogenesis of new bone formation in AS, which is resistant to tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF–α) blocking therapy.
Methods- The authors measured the levels of DKK–1, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and C–terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX–1) in patients with AS and in healthy controls at baseline and 3 months after initiating anti–TNF–α therapy in AS patients.
- Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) scores were also measured before and after anti–TNF–α therapy in AS patients.
- Serum levels of DKK–1 were significantly lower in the AS patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001).
- Osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin levels were significantly higher in the AS patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001).
- Serum levels of DKK–1 were not changed after the 3–month anti–TNF–α therapy. Osteocalcin level increased (P < 0.0001), osteoprotegerin level and BASDAI scores decreased (P = 0.025 and P < 0.0001, respectively) significantly after the 3–months anti–TNF–α therapy.
- Serum DKK–1 level was lower in patients with AS than in healthy controls and did not change after 3 months of anti–TNF–α therapy in the AS patients despite the marked improvement in BASDAI scores.
