Concentration of cytokines in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and fibromyalgia

Abstract

IntroductionFibromyalgia and osteoarthritis may present a relationship with the concentration of cytokines. The aim of this study was to compare the serum concentrations of IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8 in patients with knee osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.Materials and methodsThe study included 53 women (71.2±7.6 years old) diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis with moderate-to-severe pain (visual analog scale >4) for at least 3 months. Sixty women (54.1±8.1 years old) diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria and with moderate-to-severe pain (visual analog scale >4) also participated in this study. For the dosage of cytokines, blood was collected in the morning: 5 mL from the cubital vein. The material was centrifuged at 4°C, separated into 100 μL aliquots and stored at −80°C until processing. Serum concentrations of the studied cytokines were assessed using the BD Cytometric Bead Array method. Data were analyzed with Student’s t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test.ResultsWe found higher levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-1β in fibromyalgia patients. After adjustment of age as a covariate, there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of any cytokine between fibromyalgia and knee osteoarthritis patients.ConclusionPatients with knee osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia with the same duration and intensity of pain demonstrate similar concentrations of cytokines. Aging may play a role in cytokine profile, a finding not so extensively addressed in the literature and one that should be further investigated.

Serum Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Painful Knee Osteoarthritis and Sensitization

“…According to Livshits et al [ 6 ], when inflammation occurs, cytokine profile changes and seems to be influenced by obesity and aging [ 15 , 16 ]. In fact, we have recently demonstrated that aging may play a role in cytokine profile, a finding not so extensively addressed in the literature and that should be further investigated [ 51 ]. In the elderly population, body metabolism and composition, as well as the response to acute inflammation, may be altered and influenced in a different pattern by cytokines than in the acute-phase response, all of which are altered with increasing age [ 52 ].…”

T Cell Subpopulations in the Physiopathology of Fibromyalgia: Evidence and Perspectives

“…Patients with fibromyalgia also had increased levels of the inflammatory chemokines CCL17, CXCL9, CCL22, and CXCL11, in addition to CCL11 [70]. Taken together, the higher level of cytokines and chemokines exerting their chemotactic activity on cells of both innate and adaptive immunity suggests that the establishment of fibromyalgia syndrome and systemic inflammation could involve both cells of the innate immunity and T cells [70,71].…”

Evaluation of serum cytokines in cats with and without degenerative joint disease and associated pain

“…While this could be a species-specific difference, it is more likely that it relates to the use of serum, as most studies of cytokines in DJD/OA have been conducted using in vitro preparations or synovial fluid. Still, IL-1β (Imamura et al, 2014) and IL-6 (Imamura et al, 2015) have been detected in serum from patients with OA and our findings deserve further investigation. Il-2 and IL-8 have been less consistently associated with pain, though each has been investigated in experimental or chronic pain conditions.…”

“…In human DJD/OA research, soluble biomarkers of central interest include markers for structural damage to the joint and inflammation, both of which contribute to the clinical manifestation of pain. Inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pain and joint disease (Zhang J-M, 2007; Miller et al, 2014; Imamura et al, 2015), and elevated concentrations of cytokines have been detected in synovial fluid samples from human DJD/OA patients (Imamura et al, 2014). Several chemokines have also been demonstrated to be associated with chronic pain in both rodent models (Dawes et al, 2013) and human DJD/OA patients (Orita et al, 2011b; Lee et al, 2013).…”