Background/aims: We examined serum cytokine levels in Crohn's disease (CD) patients before and after Adalimumab (ADA) treatment.
Methodology: A total of 24 patients with CD were enrolled (4 colonic type, 6 ileal type, 14 ileo-colonic type). Patients were divided into two groups according to disease duration. Patients were given ADA (160 mg at week 0 and 80 mg at week 2), followed by maintenance therapy (40 mg every other week). Serum levels of 17 cytokines were simultaneously determined using a Bio-Plex suspension array system before, 4 and 8 weeks after ADA treatment. Serum CRP levels were also measured before, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment.
Results: IL-6 and MCP-1 levels were significantly decreased in all CD patients and in the ileo-colonic type 8 weeks after ADA treatment compared to before treatment (P <0.05). MCP-1 levels were significantly decreased 8 weeks after treatment compared to pre-treatment samples if disease onset occurred longer than 8 years. A significant correlation was noted between CRP and IL-6 levels.
Conclusions: The reduction of IL-6 and MCP-1 would be an important role for the improvement of inflammation after ADA treatment in CD which might be associated with disease types and disease duration,