TITLE:
Interleukin 6 and Bone Erosions in Rheumatoid Arthritis in an African Hospital
AUTHORS:
Paul Eloundou, Aly Kamissoko, Fernando Kempta, Francine Same Bebey, William Beko’o, Ange Ngeuleu, William Nguekouo, Estelle Megne, Suzy Manizou, Madeleine Singwe
KEYWORDS:
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Interleukin 6, Bone Erosion-DAS28, Sub-Saharan Africa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,
Vol.14 No.1,
February
4,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, erosive and deforming
inflammatory rheumatic disease. In the era of biotherapies and the arrival of
biosimilars in sub-Saharan Africa, the objective of this study was to describe
plasma IL-6 variations in RA patients at Cité Verte District Hospital
(Cameroon). Material and Methods: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional
study from December 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022. We included patients over 18 years
old suffering from RA (ACR/EULAR 2010). Patients with an infection were not
included. The data collected were age, sex, smoking status, family history,
disease duration, disease activity by DAS28, CRP, rheumatoid factor, and plasma
level of IL-6. Bone erosion was sought on radiography and ultrasound. Result: We included 31 patients, 25 of whom were women (80.6%). The mean age was 47.27 ± 17.97 years. Disease activity was predominantly
moderate (32.3%) and severe (32.3%). Mean IL-6 level was 15.29 ± 2.36 pg/ml
(extremes: 11.26 pg/ml and 20.15 pg/ml). IL-6 levels were higher in patients
with a history of smoking. Similarly, IL-6 levels were higher in patients with
mildly active RA in remission than in moderately and severely active RA. Mean
IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with erosive RA (16.3 pg/ml
VS 14.6 pg/ml). Conclusion: IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in
men, weaned smokers and patients with bone erosions.