+- Arthritis Forum (https://arthritisforum.org)
+-- Forum: Types of Arthritis (https://arthritisforum.org/Forum-Types-of-Arthritis)
+--- Forum: Rheumatoid Arthritis (https://arthritisforum.org/Forum-Rheumatoid-Arthritis)
+--- Thread: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and rheumatoid arthritis (/Thread-Interleukin-6-IL-6-and-rheumatoid-arthritis)
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and rheumatoid arthritis - KeithD - 09-02-2023
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine, a type of protein involved in the immune response, that is involved in the regulation of inflammation. In people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), IL-6 levels are often elevated due to the chronic inflammation present in the joints.
Elevated IL-6 levels can contribute to the inflammation and joint damage seen in RA, and have been shown to be associated with disease activity. Measuring IL-6 levels in people with RA can be used to monitor disease activity and to assess the response to treatment.
There are also medications known as IL-6 inhibitors, such as tocilizumab, that target IL-6 in order to reduce inflammation in RA. These medications are used in people with RA who have not responded to traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologic DMARDs.
It's important to note that elevated IL-6 levels can also be seen in other conditions such as infections and certain cancers, so IL-6 levels should not be used as the sole indicator for a diagnosis of RA.
In conclusion, IL-6 levels can be a useful tool in the management of RA, and targeting IL-6 with medications can be an effective treatment for reducing inflammation in RA.