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Increased urine neopterin levels in psoriasis
Author(s) -
HARLAND C.C.,
WHITAKER R.P.,
BARRON J.L.,
HOLDEN C.A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1992.tb14839.x
Subject(s) - neopterin , psoriasis , urine , medicine , creatinine , pathogenesis , immunology , gastroenterology
Summary The production of neopterin closely reflects activation of T‐lymphocyte‐mediated immunity. Oxidized and reduced forms of urine neopterin were measured by reversed‐phase ion‐pair high‐performance liquid chromatography in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis ( n = 14), and in a heterogeneous group of patients ( n = 14) with cutaneous T‐cell malignancies (CTCM). Results were compared with healthy non‐psoriatic control subjects ( n = 30). Neopterin levels were repeated after a course of ultraviolet B therapy (UVB) plus topical tar or dithranol, or photochemotherapy (PUVA), in 12 psoriatic patients. Fully oxidized urine neopterin levels and neopterin/creatinine ratios were significantly elevated in the psoriatic group compared with controls (P < 0·002, P < 0·05) but not in the CTCM group. Both neopterin and its creatinine ratio were significantly reduced by treatment (P < 0·05, P < 0·01). Psoriasis area and severity index scores (PASI) correlated strongly with urine neopterin levels (P < 0·001). These findings indicate that urine neopterin concentrations may be a marker of psoriatic disease activity, and further support the importance of activated T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.