ATORVASTATIN HELPS TO DIMINISH THE ACTIVITY OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS BY CHANGING THE PRODUCTION OF IL-4 AND IL-8
The state of the blood cytokine system (IL-4, IL-8) was studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), depending on the activity of the inflammatory process, clinical form, radiographic grade, duration of the disease, as well as the cytokine dynamics under the influence of drug therapy. In patients with RA the high levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 in blood were registered, compared to the norm. As the degree of disease activity increased, the level of IL-8 rose. In patients with RA there is an increase of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4, compared to the norm. The levels of IL-4 decreased accordingly to the increase of the degree of disease activity. IL-8 was also significantly higher in early RA. In 3 months under the influence of drug therapy with prednisone in combination with methotrexate and atorvastatin in patients with RA along with a positive clinical effect, there was a significant decrease in IL-8, with an increase in IL-4, in contrast to patients who did not receive atorvastatin as a part of their therapy. Inclusion of atorvastatin in the combined treatment had a more pronounced clinical effect, as atorvastatin has an antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory effect. In order to increase the efficiency of pharmacotherapy it is recommended to inclusde atorvastatin in the combined therapy of RA.