The correlation between serum migration inhibitory factor and interleukin-17, interleukin-23 in rheumatoid arthritis with atherosclerosis / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

objective To detect the serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)and interlbukin (IL)-17,IL-23 levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients with atherosclerosis and to analyze the association between them and their role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients.Methods Total of 69 patients with RA were divided into atherosclerosis group(AS group)and those without atherosclerosis group(NAS group)according to neck vascular ultrasonography.Sixty-four healthy controls(the control group)were also enrolled into this study.MIF and IL-17,IL-23 levels were determined bv ELISA assay.The t test of two independent-samples and One-way ANOVA were used to compare the levels of MIF.IL-17 and IL-23 in different groups of patients and healthy individuals.The correlation between diffrent paramenters was assesed by Pearson's coefficient of correlation and Logistic regression.Results The serum MIF level in the AS group was significantly higher than that in the NAS group and healthy controls(15.2±1.7,13.8±2.2,8.0±2.9,P<0.05),and there were significant correlations between the serum MIF concentration,carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)(r=0.271,P=0.036).the size of atherosclerotic plaques(r=0.291,P=0.024),the serum level of IL-17(r=0.328,P=0.007)and IL-23(r=0.316,p=0.010).The serum IL-17 and IL-23 level in the AS group was higher than healthy controls(2.8±2.0 vs 2.0±0.8,449±174 vs 341±113),while there were no significant differences between AS group and NAS group.The serum MIF level in RA patients was positively correlated with atherosclerosis according to Logistic regression analysis.Conclusion The serum MIF level in RA patients with AS is significantly higher than that in NAS group and healthy controls,and it may be related with the serum level of IL-17 and IL-23.The elevated serum MIF level may be a predictor for atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.