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Dickkopf-1 level is lower in patients with ankylosing spondylitis than in healthy people and is not influenced by anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy

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Abstract

(1) To compare the serum levels of Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) and bone biomarkers in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy controls. (2) To examine the effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy for 3 months on bone biomarkers in patients with AS. We measured the levels of DKK-1, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-1) in patients with AS and in healthy controls at baseline and 3 months after initiating anti-TNF-α therapy in AS patients. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) scores were also measured before and after anti-TNF-α therapy in AS patients. Serum levels of DKK-1 were significantly lower in the AS patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001). Osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin levels were significantly higher in the AS patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001). Serum levels of DKK-1 were not changed after the 3-month anti-TNF-α therapy. Osteocalcin level increased (P < 0.0001), osteoprotegerin level and BASDAI scores decreased (P = 0.025 and P < 0.0001, respectively) significantly after the 3-months anti-TNF-α therapy. Serum DKK-1 level was lower in patients with AS than in healthy controls and did not change after 3 months of anti-TNF-α therapy in the AS patients despite the marked improvement in BASDAI scores. These findings suggest the low serum DKK-1 level is related to the pathogenesis of new bone formation in AS, which is resistant to TNF-α blocking therapy.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by INHA UNIVERSITY Research Grant (INHA 37476-01).

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatism Center, Inha University Hospital, 3rd street Sinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, 400-711, Republic of Korea

    Seong-Ryul Kwon, Mie-Jin Lim & Won Park

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Chang-Hee Suh & Hyoun-Ah Kim

  3. Department of Occupation and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea

    Shin-Goo Park

  4. Department of Rheumatology, St. Mary’s Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea

    Yeon-Sik Hong

  5. Department of Rheumatology, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea

    Bo-Young Yoon

  6. Department of Rheumatology, Gachon School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Republic of Korea

    Hyo-Jin Choi

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  1. Seong-Ryul Kwon
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  2. Mie-Jin Lim
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  3. Chang-Hee Suh
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  9. Won Park
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Correspondence to Won Park.

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Kwon, SR., Lim, MJ., Suh, CH. et al. Dickkopf-1 level is lower in patients with ankylosing spondylitis than in healthy people and is not influenced by anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy. Rheumatol Int 32, 2523–2527 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-011-1981-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-011-1981-0

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