TY - JOUR
TI - Serum levels of transforming growth factor-β1 in patients with mild psoriasis vulgaris and effect of treatment with biological drugs
AU - Kallimanis, P.G.
AU - Xenos, K.
AU - Markantonis, S.L.
AU - Stavropoulos, P.
AU - Margaroni, G.
AU - Katsambas, A.
AU - Avgerinou, G.
JO - CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY
PY - 2009
VL - 34
TODO - 5
SP - 582-586
PB - 
SN - null
TODO - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2008.03026.x
TODO - biological marker;  efalizumab;  etanercept;  transforming growth factor beta1, absence of side effects;  adult;  aged;  article;  clinical article;  clinical trial;  controlled clinical trial;  controlled study;  disease severity;  down regulation;  drug monitoring;  female;  human;  male;  priority journal;  protein blood level;  psoriasis vulgaris;  scoring system;  treatment duration;  treatment outcome;  treatment response, Adult;  Aged;  Antibodies, Monoclonal;  Biological Markers;  Female;  Humans;  Immunoglobulin G;  Immunosuppressive Agents;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Psoriasis;  Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor;  Severity of Illness Index;  Transforming Growth Factor beta1;  Treatment Outcome;  Young Adult
TODO - Background. Psoriasis is an immune cell-mediated disease in which cytokines play an important role. Studies have been performed to explore the relationship between the disease and cytokine blood levels with a view to finding a biomarker for monitoring disease severity/activity and treatment efficacy. Aim. To investigate the levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in patients with mild psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and the possible use of this cytokine in monitoring treatment with biological drugs. Methods. Serum levels of TGF-β1 were estimated in 33 untreated patients (PI group), in 7 of these patients (PII group) before and after 3 months of treatment with one of two biological drugs (etanercept and efalizumab) and in 19 healthy volunteers (control group). Results. Significantly (P < 0.0001) higher serum levels of TGF-β1 were found in the PI group [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 9-10] compared with the 19 healthy volunteers. In the PII group, after the administration of one of the biological drugs, a 50% reduction in PASI and a significant (P = 0.032) decrease in TGF-β1 was noted. Conclusions. Raised TGF-β1 levels in patients with mild PV decreased in tandem with a decrease in PASI after biological drug treatment. Hence, TGF-β1 levels seem to be sensitive to changes in disease severity. © 2008 British Association of Dermatologists.
ER -