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Soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin in ankylosing spondylitis: OPG is associated with poor physical mobility and reflects systemic inflammation

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Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the role of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Serum levels of soluble RANKL (sRANKL) and OPG were measured in 42 AS patients and 26 healthy controls. We evaluated the AS patient's disease activity, functional ability, global assessment, and physical mobility and tested markers of systemic inflammation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Serum levels of sRANKL [mean (SD), 4.75 (1.88) vs. 3.70 (1.14) pmol/l, p = 0.015] and OPG [mean (SD), 5.18 (1.19) vs. 4.52 (0.85) pmol/l, p = 0.026] were significantly higher in the 42 AS patients than the 26 healthy controls. Interestingly, serum OPG levels correlated significantly with ESR (r = 0.417, p = 0.007), CRP (r = 0.524, p < 0.001), tragus-to-wall distance (r = 0.556, p < 0.001), fingertip-to-floor distance (r = 0.423, p = 0.007), and occiput-to-wall distance (r = 0.465, p = 0.002) and correlated inversely with modified Schober index (r = −0.525, p = 0.001), cervical rotation (r = −0.403, p = 0.022), lateral lumbar flexion (r = −0.587, p < 0.001), and chest expansion (r = −0.553, p < 0.001). Moreover, in the AS patients with higher (≥4.925 pmol/l, n = 21) serum OPG levels, there were significant increases in the tragus-to-wall distance (p = 0.007), fingertip-to-floor distance (p = 0.023), and CRP levels (p = 0.014) and decreased in the modified Schober index (p = 0.012), lateral lumbar flexion (p = 0.019), and chest expansion (p = 0.005). Serum levels of sRANKL and OPG are increased in the AS patients and may participate in the disease process of AS. Production of OPG has association with poor physical mobility and may reflect systemic inflammation in AS.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Pei-I Chen for the laboratory support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chun-Hsiung Chen & Chin-Hsiu Liu

  2. National Yang-Ming University and Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chun-Hsiung Chen, Hsien-Tzung Liao, Chang-Youh Tsai & Chung-Tei Chou

  3. Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan

    Hung-An Chen

  4. Taipei Medial University-Municipal Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Hsien-Tzung Liao

  5. Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Section.2, ShiPai Road, Taipei, Taiwan, 112

    Chung-Tei Chou

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  1. Chun-Hsiung Chen
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Correspondence to Chung-Tei Chou.

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Chen, CH., Chen, HA., Liao, HT. et al. Soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin in ankylosing spondylitis: OPG is associated with poor physical mobility and reflects systemic inflammation. Clin Rheumatol 29, 1155–1161 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-010-1543-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-010-1543-y

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