Analysis of sFas IL-6 levels in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy: Pre- or poststeroid pulse treatment

• Published in: Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) Vol. 2; no. 3; pp. 609 - 612
• Main Authors: Maeda, Kimihito, Ohara, Yuichiro, Hashimoto, Masato, Ohguro, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Taylor & Francis Ltd 01.09.2008; Dove Press; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: ELISA; IL-6; Ophthalmology; Original Research; sFas; steroid pulse treatment; thyroid associated ophthalmopathy; Thyroid gland; sFas; thyroid associated ophthalmopathy; steroid pulse treatment; IL-6; ELISA
• ISSN: 1177-5467; 1177-5483; 1177-5483
• DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S3012

To investigate whether serum levels of soluble Fas (sFas) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) could function as an index of the efficacy of steroid pulse treatment, we examined the serum level of these proteins before and after steroid pulse treatment in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients. We gathered the blood of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients before or after steroid pulse treatment, obtained serum with a centrifuge, and measured the serum levels of sFas and IL-6 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There was no difference in serum IL-6 value between pre- and poststeroid pulse treatment. Serum sFas value was significantly decreased in both pre- and poststeroid pulse treatment. Furthermore, there was a recognizable improvement in the degree of the extraocular muscle thickening after treatment in cases in whom the serum sFas value was lower than 3 ng/ml prior to the beginning of the therapy. In patients who had a serum sFas value of more than 3 ng/ml, there was no improvement in the degree of thickening of the extraocular muscle. Serum level of sFas is an accurate index of the outcome of steroid pulse treatment in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and may become a useful index to gauge the status of convalescence.