Interleukin-18 is associated with the presence of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels are increased in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). In addition, IL-18 levels are increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are associated with arthritis activity. We determined whether increased IL-18 levels are associated with ILD in RA.

METHOD:

RA patients were enrolled using an RA cohort database. Plasma IL-18 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ILD was determined by a pulmonologist and a radiologist based on chest radiography and computed tomography findings. IL-18 levels for RA with ILD and RA without ILD were compared. Associations between ILD and various markers including IL-18 and confounding factors (e.g. smoking history) were investigated by logistic regression analysis. Diagnostic values of IL-18 for the presence of ILD were investigated using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis.

RESULTS:

ILD was complicated in 8.2% (n = 26) of the study population (N = 312). Plasma IL-18 levels were higher for RA patients with ILD than for RA patients without ILD (721.0 ± 481.4 vs 436.8 ± 438.9 pg/mL, p < 0.001). IL-18, Krebs von den Lungen-6, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody titre and glucocorticoid doses were independently associated with the presence of ILD during multivariate logistic regression analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of IL-18 levels for the detection of ILD in RA patients were 65.3% and 76.3%, respectively (area under the curve = 0.73).

CONCLUSION:

Plasma IL-18 levels were higher for RA patients with ILD than for those without ILD. Increased IL-18 levels were associated with the presence of ILD.

• Authors: T Matsuo, M Hashimoto, I Ito, T Kubo, R Uozumi, M Furu, H Ito, T Fujii, M Tanaka, C Terao, H Kono, M Mori, M Hamaguchi, W Yamamoto, K Ohmura, S Morita, T Mimori
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of rheumatology (Scand J Rheumatol) Vol. 48 Issue 2 Pg. 87-94 (Mar 2019) ISSN: 1502-7732 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30269670 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• IL18 protein, human
• Interleukin-18

Topics

• Aged
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (blood, complications)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Interleukin-18 (blood)
• Lung Diseases, Interstitial (blood, complications)
• Male
• Middle Aged