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Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
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Serum interleukin-18 and interleukin-10 levels in systemic lupus erythematosus: correlation with SLEDAI score and disease activity parameters

Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation volume 41, pages 160–166 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Aim

The aim of the study was to assess serum levels of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-10 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their relationship with disease activity.

Patients and methods

Thirty patients with SLE and 20 healthy controls were investigated in this study. The serum IL-18 and IL-10 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and their correlations with the disease activity were measured using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and laboratory parameters, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-ds DNA antibody, complement 3, and complement 4 levels were analyzed.

Results

The serum IL-18 and serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher (mean values 1770.2 ± 360.4 and 842.65 ± 315.37 pg/ml for IL-18 and IL-10, respectively) in SLE patients compared with the controls (110.65 ± 30.37 vs. 76 ± 14.2 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0.001). The increase in serum levels of IL-18 and IL-10 directly and significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.404, P = 0.037). Furthermore, such an increase in the levels of these two cytokines showed a highly significant positive correlation with the SLEDAI scores and anti-ds DNA in the studied patients (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The circulating IL-18 and IL-10 concentrations were significantly elevated in SLE patients and correlated with the SLEDAI score. The study emphasized that there exists an upregulated proinflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory responses in patients with active SLE; however, the anti-inflammatory response is not enough to suppress the active disease. Identifying the exact contribution of the currently studied cytokines might provide future insights for targeted therapeutic strategies in SLE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

    Sahar Abou El-Fetouh

  2. Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

    Hanan S. Mohmad Abozaid MD

  3. Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

    Reem Hamdy A. Mohammed

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  1. Sahar Abou El-Fetouh
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  2. Reem Hamdy A. Mohammed
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  3. Hanan S. Mohmad Abozaid MD
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Correspondence to Hanan S. Mohmad Abozaid MD.

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El-Fetouh, S.A., Mohammed, R.H.A. & Abozaid, H.S.M. Serum interleukin-18 and interleukin-10 levels in systemic lupus erythematosus: correlation with SLEDAI score and disease activity parameters. Egypt Rheumatol Rehabil 41, 160–166 (2014). https://doi.org/10.4103/1110-161X.147358

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