An evaluation of anti-TNF-alpha-therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: imbalanced activation of NF kappa B subunits in lymphocytes and modulation of serum cortisol concentration.

The aim of this study was to analyse patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) during the course of infliximab therapy. The molecular effects were evaluated using lymphocytes and sera that were isolated before therapy began, then again after 2 and 12 weeks from 17 AS patients and compared to those of 24 healthy control individuals. All 17 AS patients responded to treatment with infliximab as assessed using BASDAI.