Serum interleukin-17 and estradiol levels in postmenopausal women in relation to osteoporosis

Abstract

Abstract Background In post-menopausal women, estrogen deficiency leads to instability between bone formation and resorption which is regulated by osteoclastogenic cytokines leading to resorption. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a proinflammatory cytokine has been found as an important regulator of osteoclast-genesis induced by estrogen deficiency in favor of bone loss in animal studies. The study aimed to evaluate levels of IL-17 and estrogen (E2) in relation to bone mineral density (BMD) and risk of fracture in postmenopausal women with and without osteoporosis. Results IL-17 levels were significantly higher and E2 levels were significantly lower in the osteoporotic group compared to the non-osteoporotic group (P value ≤ 0.01). There was a highly significant difference in DEXA score and FRAX index between two groups: with higher values of FRAX and lower values of DEXA score among osteoporotic group (P value ≤ 0.01). IL-17 was inversely correlated to estrogen level and highly significant negative correlation with DEXA as well as a highly significant positive one with FRAX index. IL-17 serum level was able to diagnose osteoporosis at a cutoff level of > 80 pg/mL with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value (PPV), and 100% negative predictive value (NPV). Conclusions Serum IL-17 was significantly elevated in osteoporotic postmenopausal women when compared to healthy postmenopausal ones and was inversely correlated with estrogen level and DEXA.

Keywords

• Interleukin-17
• Osteoporosis
• Serum estradiol
• DEXA