Synovial effusion and synovial fluid biomarkers in psoriatic arthritis to assess intraarticular tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockade in the knee joint

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was the evaluation of synovial effusion (SE), synovial fluid (SF) and synovial tissue (ST) biomarkers in relation to disease activity indexes to assess the response to intraarticular (IA) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha blockers in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Systemic and local disease activity indexes (disease activity score (DAS); the Ritchie articular index (mRAI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP); Thompson articular (THOMP) and joint articular (KJAI)-Index ) and ST samples were assessed at baseline, throughout treatment, and during the follow-up in 14 patients affected with PsA who underwent IA injections (0.5 ml to 12.5 mg) in the knee joint of etanercept (E) or placebo (P) once every two weeks for a 10-week period. Total SF white blood cell (WBC) counts (WBC/mul) and SF cytokine/chemokine (CK/CCK) levels were measured before IA-E at baseline, after IA-E, and as long as there were adequate amounts of SF for knee aspiration (post). Characterization of synovial mononuclear cell infiltration and synovial vessels was carried out in 8 out [...] FIOCCO, Ugo, et al. Synovial effusion and synovial fluid biomarkers in psoriatic arthritis to assess intraarticular tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockade in the knee joint. Arthritis Research and Therapy, 2010, vol. 12, no. 4, p. R148 DOI : 10.1186/ar3090