PP20. SERUM [alpha]-1 ANTICHYMOTRYPSIN (ACT) LEVELS IN PMR/GCA

Background: In a previous cohort of patients with PMR/GCA, we followed CRP, ESR and ACT levels [1]. Serum ACT levels behaved quite differently from CRP and ESR, remaining raised long after clinical suppression of disease. Higher levels of ACT during treatment were associated with an increased risk o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Rheumatology (Oxford, England) England), 2005-07, Vol.44 (S3), p.iii21
Main Authors: Pountain, G D, Calvin, J
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Background: In a previous cohort of patients with PMR/GCA, we followed CRP, ESR and ACT levels [1]. Serum ACT levels behaved quite differently from CRP and ESR, remaining raised long after clinical suppression of disease. Higher levels of ACT during treatment were associated with an increased risk of later relapse. As these results were an unexpected finding, we have sought to verify them in a second cohort of patients. Methods: We studied a new cohort of 36 patients: 28 with PMR, 22 with GCA (7 biopsy-proven). Data was collected on disease activity, prednisolone dosage and CRP, ESR and ACT levels for up to 5 years. Results: ACT levels from 9 months onwards correlated with subsequent steroid requirements. CRP and ESR results at 6 and 9 months correlated with subsequent steroid requirements but CRP and ESR results after 9 months did not correlate with subsequent steroid requirements. Conclusions: This study supports our earlier findings that serum ACT level in PMR/GCA is an indicator of persisting underlying disease activity.
ISSN:1462-0324
1462-0332
DOI:10.1093/rheumatology/keh773