The Role of IL-17A in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Disease Activity in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

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Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of kufa, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that typically impacts the axial spine and sacroiliac joints. Interleukin-17A is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a significant role in the formation of syndesmophytes and enthesitis, which are common clinical features of AS. The objective of this study is to determine whether IL-17A plays an effective role in the diagnosis and evaluation of AS activity. Methodology: A case-control study, involving 30 patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), 30 patients with chronic back pain (CBP), and 28 healthy individuals. Also, IL-17A and CRP levels were measured for all three groups using an ELISA technique. The study also evaluated the CBC and ESR levels. Results: The IL-17A level in AS, CBP, and healthy control groups were 82.80 ±12.37 pg/ml, 96.89±17.99 pg/ml, and 125.46±22.89 pg/ml, respectively, with no significant difference between AS group and CBP group (P=0.521), and between AS and healthy control group (P=0.109). In patients with AS, based on ASDAS-ESR, there was a significant difference in the IL-17A level (P=0.015). This study evaluates IL-17A as a diagnostic tool for AS, with the healthy group, which showed an AUC of 0.344, 62.5% sensitivity, and 61.5% specificity. Furthermore, IL-17A was assessed as a diagnostic tool between AS and CBP groups, with an AUC of 0.452, 58.3% sensitivity, and 55.6% specificity. Conclusions: The findings indicate that IL-17A plays a significant role in assessing disease activity in patients with AS based on the ASDAS-ESR index; however, it lacks diagnostic value and is not involved in the initial diagnosis of the disease.

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