Horm Metab Res 2019; 51(03): 200-209
DOI: 10.1055/a-0833-4627
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effect of IL-6 Receptor Blockade on Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type-9 and Cholesterol Efflux Capacity in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Iván Ferraz-Amaro
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
,
María Vanesa Hernández-Hernández
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
,
Beatriz Tejera-Segura
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
,
Esmeralda Delgado-Frías
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
,
María Macía-Díaz
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
,
Jose David Machado
2   Department of Pharmacology, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
,
Federico Diaz-González
1   Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
3   Department of Internal Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
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Publikationsverlauf

received 21. April 2018

accepted 09. Januar 2019

Publikationsdatum:
29. Januar 2019 (online)

Abstract

The aim of the work was to examine whether abnormalities in the lipid profile that tocilizumab (TCZ), an anti-IL-6 receptor Ab, exerts in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is related to changes in either proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 (PCSK9) serum concentrations or in serum cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC). TOCRIVAR is a one-year prospective clinical trial that analyzes the influence of TCZ on cardiovascular risk factors. Twenty-seven RA patients receiving TCZ (8 mg/kg IV/q4w) were assessed at baseline and weeks 12, 24, and 52. Disease activity indexes, adiposity composition, physical activity, serum CEC, PCSK9, and lipoproteins serum concentrations were assessed at every visit. Basal high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and disease activity were markedly reduced throughout one-year TCZ treatment. While initially total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol increased their plasma concentration, decreasing to basal afterwards, lipoprotein(a) was significantly lower than basal in all visits of the study. CEC increased after 24 week of treatment proportionally to hs-CRP reduction, and remained significantly higher after week 52 [median % change 32 (3–141), p=0.021]. Interestingly, variations in LDL cholesterol basal concentration along the one year of TCZ treatment correlated directly with changes of PCSK9 serum concentration (r=0.37, p=0.003). Basal abdominal adiposity, BMI, and physical activity remained stable during the study. Long-term TCZ-treated RA patients show an increment in CEC inversely proportional to hs-CRP reduction and changes in LDL cholesterol that might be explained, at least in part, by variations in PCSK9 plasma concentration. Overall, TCZ treatment produces a favorable qualitative net effect in terms of atherogenic implication in RA patients.

 
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