Serum CC chemokine ligand-18 predicts lung disease worsening in systemic sclerosis

Abstract

Elevated serum CC chemokine ligand (CCL)18 reflects lung fibrosis activity in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and could be an early marker of lung function worsening. Therefore, we sought to evaluate whether serum CCL18 levels at baseline could predict worsening of lung disease in SSc.In this prospective study, 83 SSc patients were analysed longitudinally over a 4-yr observation period for the risk of occurrence of combined deleterious events, defined as a 10% decrease from baseline of total lung capacity or forced vital capacity % predicted, or death, according to serum CCL18 at inclusion. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for prediction of events during the first year after inclusion. The best cut-off level of serum CCL18 for prediction of a combined event within the follow-up period was 187 ng?mL -1 , with 53% sensitivity and 96% specificity (area under the ROC curve 0.86; p,0.001). After a mean¡SD follow-up of 33.7¡10.8 months, a higher rate of disease progression occurred in the group with serum CCL18 levels .187 ng?mL -1 . The adjusted hazard ratio was 5.36 (95% CI 2.44-11.75; p,0.001). In summary, serum CCL18 is an accurate predictive biomarker for the identification of patients with a higher risk of subsequent scleroderma lung disease worsening.

Serum CCL18 is predictive for lung disease progression and mortality in systemic sclerosis

“…TIEV et al [1] demonstrated very nicely that elevated CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) serum levels predict lung disease progression in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). In the multivariate analysis, the hazard ratio for lung function worsening or death was 5.36 for SSc patients with serum CCL18 concentration above 187 ng?mL -1 .…”

“…We read with pleasure the article ''Serum CC chemokine ligand-18 predicts lung disease worsening in systemic sclerosis'' [1], published in the European Respiratory Journal. TIEV et al [1] demonstrated very nicely that elevated CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) serum levels predict lung disease progression in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).…”

The Ambitious Goal of Validating Prognostic Biomarkers for Systemic Sclerosis-related Interstitial Lung Disease

“…CCL18 can stimulate fibroblast collagen and has been found to be increased in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in a number of fibrotic lung diseases, including SSc-ILD 16 . Three longitudinal studies with a total of 116 patients with SSc-ILD investigated the correlation of serum CCL18 with ILD activity determined by HRCT, lung function, and BAL analysis, with promising results 16,17,18 . Tiev, et al analyzed serum CCL18 levels in 83 SSc patients with ILD over a 4-year followup period 18 .…”

“…Three longitudinal studies with a total of 116 patients with SSc-ILD investigated the correlation of serum CCL18 with ILD activity determined by HRCT, lung function, and BAL analysis, with promising results 16,17,18 . Tiev, et al analyzed serum CCL18 levels in 83 SSc patients with ILD over a 4-year followup period 18 . At a cutoff level of 187 ng/ml for identifying subsequent worsening of lung disease within 2 years or death, serum CCL18 was independently predictive of worsening ILD (HR = 5.4; p = 0001) 18 .…”

“…Tiev, et al analyzed serum CCL18 levels in 83 SSc patients with ILD over a 4-year followup period 18 . At a cutoff level of 187 ng/ml for identifying subsequent worsening of lung disease within 2 years or death, serum CCL18 was independently predictive of worsening ILD (HR = 5.4; p = 0001) 18 . Similar results have been published by Prasse, et al from studies of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis 19 .…”