RESUMEN
Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic arterial inflammation of unknown etiology involving mainly the aorta and its major branches. Genetic polymorphisms of cytokines are screened as susceptibility factors for TA in Turkey. A total of 94 patients with TA were investigated for the genetic polymorphisms of the interleukin genes IL12, IL2,and IL6 and were compared with 108 healthy control subjects using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer method. The frequencies of IL12B 1188 C allele (p = 0.03, OR = 1.7) and CC genotype (p = 0.007, OR = 3.7) were both higher in TA patients than in control subjects. TT genotype at IL2-330 (p = 0.006, OR = 2.4) and GG genotype at IL6-174 (p = 0.04, OR = 1.9) were more frequent in TA patients. Lower prevalence of GT genotype at IL2-330 (p = 0.005, OR = 0.4), CG genotype at IL6-174 (p = 0.001, OR = 0.4), and AG genotypes at IL6-598 (p = 0.01, OR = 0.4) were also detected. The polymorphism of IL-12 as well as IL-6 and IL-2 genes may contribute to susceptibility and pathogenesis of TA by altering cytokine production and inducing inflammation.
Asunto(s)
Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Interleucina-12/genética , Interleucina-2/genética , Interleucina-6/genética , Arteritis de Takayasu/genética , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Polimorfismo Genético , TurquíaAsunto(s)
Artritis , Síndrome de Behçet , Adulto , Artritis/diagnóstico por imagen , Artritis/etiología , Artritis/metabolismo , Síndrome de Behçet/complicaciones , Síndrome de Behçet/diagnóstico por imagen , Síndrome de Behçet/metabolismo , Sedimentación Sanguínea , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Radiografía , Líquido Sinovial/metabolismoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Because exposure to streptococcal antigens might be a major disease activity-provoking factor in Behçet's disease, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of benzathine penicillin in the prophylaxis of recurrent arthritis episodes during the course of this disease. METHODS: A prospective, randomized study design was used to allocate patients to receive colchicine alone or colchicine plus benzathine penicillin for 24 months. RESULTS: The duration, severity, and pattern of arthritis episodes were found to be similar in the 2 treatment groups, but the number of arthritis episodes was significantly reduced, and the duration of episode-free time significantly prolonged, in the penicillin group compared with the colchicine-alone group. CONCLUSION: Penicillin treatment was demonstrated to offer adjunctive benefits in the prevention of arthritis episodes which are not obtainable with colchicine monotherapy. This finding could provide additional evidence for antigen triggering in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease.