Clinical Rheumatology

, Volume 29, Issue 10, pp 1155–1161 | Cite as

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

  • Chun-Hsiung Chen
  • Hung-An Chen
  • Hsien-Tzung Liao
  • Chin-Hsiu Liu
  • Chang-Youh Tsai
  • Chung-Tei Chou
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

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.

Keywords

Ankylosing spondylitis Inflammation OPG Physical mobility RANKL 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

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

Disclosures

None

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Copyright information

© Clinical Rheumatology 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chun-Hsiung Chen
    • 1
    • 2
  • Hung-An Chen
    • 3
  • Hsien-Tzung Liao
    • 2
    • 4
  • Chin-Hsiu Liu
    • 1
  • Chang-Youh Tsai
    • 2
  • Chung-Tei Chou
    • 2
    • 5
  1. 1.Division of Allergy, Immunology and RheumatologyBuddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei BranchTaipeiTaiwan
  2. 2.National Yang-Ming University and Taipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
  3. 3.Chi Mei Medical CenterTainanTaiwan
  4. 4.Taipei Medial University-Municipal Wan Fang HospitalTaipeiTaiwan
  5. 5.Division of Allergy, Immunology and RheumatologyTaipei Veterans General HospitalTaipeiTaiwan

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