Cyclosporin Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis is Associated with an Increased Serum Activity of β-Glucuronidase

Falkenbach A. Wigand R, Unkelbach U, Jörgens K, Martinovic A, Scheuermann EH, Seiffert UB, Kaltwasser JP. Cyclosporin Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis is Associated with an Increased Serum Activity of β-Glucuronidase. Scand J Rheumatol 1993; 22: 83-85. The serum activity of β-glucuronidase (β-gluc) has been presumed to indicate the disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 10 patients with RA the serum β-gluc was repeatedly determined after the initiation of a treatment with cyclosporin for one year. A significant increase of β-gluc was found after 8, 12 and 16 weeks compared to the values before treatment, while the concentration of the soluble interleukin 2-receptor decreased. The data reveal, that β-gluc is not a useful indicator of the disease activity during cyclosporin treatment.