The serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in Behçet's disease and it's relationship with the disease activity

ABSTRACT THE SERUM EOSINOPHIL CATIONIC PROTEIN LEVELS IN BEHCET'S DISEASE AND IT'S RELATONSHIP WITH THE DISEASE ACTIVITY In this study, to investigate the serum ECP levels in Behcet's Disease and to evaluate it's realtionship between clinical activity were aimed. Behçet patients, who were diagnosed according to the criteria of International Study Group of Behcet's Disease, not receiving any medication were included (n=48, 24 males and 24 females, mean age 37.2+9.3 years). Of the patients, 23 were in active and 25 in inactive period of the disease. As the diseased control group, 21 patients with allergic rhinitis (9 males and 12 females, mean age 34.2+10.0 years) and as the normal control group, 21 healthy subjects (10 males and 11 females, mean age 34.0 + 5.5 years) were included in the study. The medication was stopped before the blood samples were taken, for the inactive Behçet patients who were on colchicine treatment. The cases with any allergy or parasitosis history or whose medication can not be stopped were excluded. The serum ECP levels were measured by the FEIA method. The mean serum ECP level of the active Behçet group (mean + st deviation: 47.1+46.1 u.g/L) was significantly lower when compared to the healthy controls (62.9+30.5 ug/L), p=0,003. The mean serum ECP level of the active Behçet group was lower than the inactive group (65.7+46.3 ug/L) but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.079). The mean serum ECP level of the total Behçet group (56.8+46.7 ug/L) had no difference when compared to the healthy controls but significantly lower when compared to the allergic rhinitis group (84.3+40.9 ug/L) p=0.005. The Thl/Th2 profile plays a really important role in the immune system. It was proven that the immune response is swiched to the Thl polarisation in active state of the Behcet's disease. Some cytokines which are released from the Th2 cells, such as IL5, stimulate the eosinophil proliferation and activate the eosinophil functions. The eosinophils are important immune modulatory cells which play a role in the immune response. The ECP is one of the major proteins which reflect the eosinophil turnover rate and activity. The lower serum ECP levels in active Behçet patients can be explained by the supressed Th2 response in the active disease state. Keywords: Behcet's Disease, Eosinophil Cationic Protein, Eosinophil, Thl-Th2 Polarisation, IgE VI