BackgroundChronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an immune-inflammatory disease, characterized by acute phase response (APR) and immune activation. There has been increasing evidence showing that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with increased incidence and/or severity of immune-inflammatory disorders.AimTo assess relationship between vitamin D status and C-reactive protein (CRP), a nonspecific inflammatory marker of CSU activity.MethodsConcentrations of CRP and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], a biomarker of vitamin D status were measured in serum of CSU patients and compared with the healthy controls.ResultsSerum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly lower in CSU group as compared with the normal subjects. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml) was significantly higher in patients with CSU than among normal population. There were no significant differences in prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency between the groups. Serum CRP concentrations were significantly higher in CSU patients as compared with the healthy subjects. There were no significant correlations between CRP and 25(OH)D concentrations in CSU patients.ConclusionsCSU is associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentration and higher prevalence of its deficiency. The results failed to show any effect of vitamin D status on circulating CRP concentrations in CSU. A potential role of vitamin D in pathogenesis and/or additive therapy of CSU needs to be examined in other cohorts of CSU patients as well as in larger studies.
BackgroundIL-6 trans-signaling is critically involved in the initiation and promotion of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, we investigated the clinical relevance of soluble members of IL-6 trans-signaling system in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).MethodsIL-6, interleukin 6 soluble receptor (IL-6 sR) and soluble gp130 (sgp130) were measured by ELISA method in plasma from CSU patients and the healthy subjects. The data were related to activation of the acute phase response as indicated by serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and compared between patients stratified by the disease activity.ResultsConcentrations of IL-6, IL-6 sR, sgp130 in plasma and CRP in serum were significantly elevated in CSU patients compared with the healthy controls. CRP correlated significantly with IL-6 and sgp130, similarly IL-6 correlated significantly with sgp130. By contrast, CRP and IL-6 did not correlate significantly with IL-6 sR. However, significant correlation was noted between IL-6 sR and sgp130.ConclusionsConcentrations of IL-6 and its soluble receptors were significantly elevated in patients with CSU, suggesting upregulation of the IL-6 trans-signaling in the disease. In addition, our results support the concept that the system may be involved in pathogenesis of the systemic inflammatory activation in CSU patients.
Intra-nasal glucocorticoids are the most effective drugs available for rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis treatment. Their effectiveness depends on many factors and not all of them have been well recognized so far. The authors present the basic information on molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid action, direct and indirect effects of glucocorticoids on transcription of genes encoding inflammatory mediators. They focus on recently proved nongenomic mechanisms which appear quickly, from several seconds to minutes after glucocorticoid administration and discuss clinical implications resulting from this knowledge. Discovery of nongenomic glucocorticoid actions allows for better use of these drugs in clinical practice.
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