Journal of Contemporary Medicine (Jul 2021)
IL-1β, IL-18 and Caspase-1 Levels in Serum as an Early Marker in Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients with Attack and Attack-free Period
Abstract
Introduction: In the pathogenesis of the FMF disease, cytokines play important roles in the inflammation of the serous membranes. This study aims to investigate the relationship between serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 with CRP, ESR, fibrinogen and immune response attack/attack-free period. Material and Method: 60 patients diagnosed with FMF according to Tel-Hashomer criteria were divided into two groups as attack and attack-free period. Serum cytokine levels were examined by the ELISA method in 60 patients and 30 HCs, and the relationship between acute phase reactants and immune response was investigated. Results: A significant increase in serum concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β (p = 0.001), IL-18 (p = 0.043) and caspase-1 (p = 0.043) was observed in FMF attack patients compared to control.. And also, IL-1β levels were positively correlated with neutrophils, ESR and CRP in FMF attack patients and there was a relationship between disease severity and IL-1β. In FMF attack-free patients, while a trend towards increased serum IL-1β (p=0.075) and IL-18 (p=0.516) levels were noted, it did not reach statistical significance. However, a significant difference was observed in the caspase-1 (p=0.049) levels of attack-free according to HCs. Conclusion: This study suggests that IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 can serve as a useful marker not only in the attack period but also in the attack-free period, and provide a useful clue for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
