Relationships between local inflammation, interleukin‐6 concentration and the acute phase protein response in arthritis patients

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Abstract
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations in knee joint synovial fluids and paired plasma samples of arthritis patients were examined with respect to each other and parameters of the inflammatory response. Synovial fluid and plasma IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with inflammatory arthritis than those detected in patients with osteoarthritis (Pr=0·65; Pr=0·79; Pr=0·75; Pr=0·72-0·94; p<0·005). These relationships suggest that IL-6 production in inflamed knee joints can be a significant determinant of acute phase protein responses in arthritis patients, although the situation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is more complex and may be influenced by other disease-related factors.