The proinflammatory
cytokines IL-1beta,
IL-8, and
TNF-alpha play a major role in the process of
bone resorption during aseptic loosening of large
joint prostheses. These
cytokines secreted locally during
bone resorption in aseptic loosening may enter peripheral circulation. Increased concentration of IL-1gamma,
IL-8, and
TNF-alpha in peripheral circulation may indicate aseptic loosening. We determined whether
bone resorption could be verified by
cytokine presence in plasma. We recruited 50 patients with aseptic
prosthesis loosening, 50 with stable
prostheses, 50 with
osteoarthritis, and 50 healthy individuals.
Cytokine levels were determined in plasma by ELISA tests. Patients with
prosthesis loosening had higher plasma levels (IL-10, 3.7 +/- 5.5 pg/mL; IL-8, 14.7 +/- 9 pg/mL;
TNF-alpha, 32.7 +/-+/- 32.4 pg/mL) than patients with stable
prostheses (IL-1beta, 1.5 +/- 2 pg/mL; IL-8, 8.1 +/- 4.7 pg/mL;
TNF-alpha, 22.9 +/- 18.7 pg/mL), patients with
osteoarthritis (IL-1beta, 0.7 +/- 1.1 pg/mL; IL-8, 5.8 +/- 3.8 pg/mL;
TNF-alpha, 9.8 +/- 7.7 pg/mL) and healthy individuals (IL-1beta, 0.7 +/- 1.1 pg/mL; IL-8, 4.2 +/- 1.3 pg/mL;
TNF-alpha, 3.9 +/- 3.9 pg/mL). Our data suggest elevated plasma levels of proinflammatory
cytokines may be useful as markers of
bone resorption in the laboratory diagnosis of
prosthesis loosening.