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Dear All,
Greetings.
Highlight of this issue is the study by Murota A and his team from Japan. In this study, the investigators have measured serum levels of MMP-3 and interleukin (IL)-16 using a latex turbidimetric immunoassay and ELISA at baseline and 12 weeks after treatment with methotrexate (MTX) for MTX-naïve RA patients (n=28) or with biologics for MTX-inadequate responder (IR) RA patients. Murota A and his team found that serum IL-16 levels positively correlated with MMP-3 and were significantly increased in patients with untreated active RA compared to controls. IL-16 levels decreased following treatment in both the MTX-naïve and MTX-IR groups. Fluctuations in IL-16 levels positively-correlated with changes in clinical indicators. Looking at the results of this study, IL-16 seems to be a more reliable biomarker than MMP-3, C-reactive protein, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate in both MTX-naive and MTX-IR RA patients. The study also sets a basis for further long term studies to validate IL-16 is a useful biomarker of RA disease activity.
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Regards,
Banwari Sharma
Editor, IRA e-Newsletter
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