OBJECTIVE: To determine serum concentrations and clinical association of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Serum sTREM-1 levels from 17 patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc), 24 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc), and 29 healthy control individuals were examined by ELISA. RESULTS: Total SSc patients exhibited significantly elevated serum sTREM-1 levels relative to controls (p < 0.01). Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with dSSc compared to controls (p < 0.005) and lSSc patients (p < 0.05). By contrast, sTREM-1 levels in lSSc were similar to those in controls. Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in SSc patients with decreased percentage vital capacity (%VC). Consistent with this, serum sTREM-1 levels in SSc patients correlated negatively with %VC (r = -0.24, p < 0.005). Among SSc patients with pulmonary fibrosis, sTREM-1 levels were significantly increased in patients with decreased %VC or decreased percentage of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide relative to those with normal values (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum sTREM-1 levels were elevated in dSSc patients and correlated with severity of pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting that serum sTREM-1 is a novel serological marker for the disease severity of SSc.
OBJECTIVE: To determine serum concentrations and clinical association of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Serum sTREM-1 levels from 17 patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc), 24 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc), and 29 healthy control individuals were examined by ELISA. RESULTS: Total SSc patients exhibited significantly elevated serum sTREM-1 levels relative to controls (p < 0.01). Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with dSSc compared to controls (p < 0.005) and lSSc patients (p < 0.05). By contrast, sTREM-1 levels in lSSc were similar to those in controls. Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in SSc patients with decreased percentage vital capacity (%VC). Consistent with this, serum sTREM-1 levels in SSc patients correlated negatively with %VC (r = -0.24, p < 0.005). Among SSc patients with pulmonary fibrosis, sTREM-1 levels were significantly increased in patients with decreased %VC or decreased percentage of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide relative to those with normal values (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum sTREM-1 levels were elevated in dSSc patients and correlated with severity of pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting that serum sTREM-1 is a novel serological marker for the disease severity of SSc.