Abstract
Serum neopterin concentrations were measured in 15 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis and their correlation with the severity of muscle impairment was evaluated. Neopterin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. When compared with controls (median 0.75 ng/ml; range 0.33-1.18), serum neopterin concentrations were increased in patients with active juvenile dermatomyositis (median 3.21 ng/ml; range 0.95-13.81), but not in patients during remission (median 0.81 ng/ml; range 0.55-1.34). In horizontal and longitudinal studies, serum neopterin was significantly correlated with the severity of muscle strength impairment, whereas serum muscle enzyme values were not. These data suggest that measurement of serum neopterin may be used, together with clinical examination, to guide the treatment of patients with juvenile dermatomyositis.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bohan A., Peter J. B., Bowman R. L., Pearson C. M. Computer-assisted analysis of 153 patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Medicine (Baltimore) 1977 Jul;56(4):255–286. doi: 10.1097/00005792-197707000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fuchs D., Hausen A., Reibnegger G., Werner E. R., Dierich M. P., Wachter H. Neopterin as a marker for activated cell-mediated immunity: application in HIV infection. Immunol Today. 1988 May;9(5):150–155. doi: 10.1016/0167-5699(88)91203-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Malleson P. N. Controversies in juvenile dermatomyositis. J Rheumatol Suppl. 1990 Jun;23:1–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Montecucco C., Ravelli A., Caporali R., Viola S., De Gennaro F., Albani S., Martini A. Autoantibodies in juvenile dermatomyositis. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 1990 Mar-Apr;8(2):193–196. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Reibnegger G., Aichberger C., Fuchs D., Hausen A., Spielberger M., Werner E. R., Margreiter R., Wachtehr H. Posttransplant neopterin excretion in renal allograft recipients--a reliable diagnostic aid for acute rejection and a predictive marker of long-term graft survival. Transplantation. 1991 Jul;52(1):58–63. doi: 10.1097/00007890-199107000-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]