JOINT BONE SPINE, vol.75, no.3, pp.295-298, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
Introduction: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a 52-amino acid peptide with vasorelaxant properties. Apart from its roles on vascular tonus, AM can also contribute to inflammatory events. Plasma AM levels were elevated in connective tissue diseases and vasculitic disorders. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine initiating in the sacroiliac joints. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary disorder characterized by self-limiting acute attacks of fever and the presence of sustained subclinical inflammation in the attack-free periods. In this study, we investigated plasma AM levels in patients with AS and patients with FMF.