title: Soluble interleukin-2 receptor in sera of patients with Graves' disease.
abstract: Activation of T lymphocytes has been found to be associated with an increase in soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of sIL-2R in 20 untreated patients with Graves' disease and to relate these levels to disease activity and to TSH-receptor, anti-thyroglobulin, anti-microsomal and anti-eye muscle antibodies. sIL-2R levels were significantly increased in newly diagnosed Graves' patients compared with controls (667 +/- 270 vs 205 +/- 45 U/ml) (P less than 0.001). The sIL-2R levels were higher in patients with active infiltrative ophthalmology than in those without eye symptoms (810 +/- 313 vs 525 +/- 180 U/ml). All patients were treated with methimazole for at least 12 months. sIL-2R levels were normalized by methimazole treatment in the majority of patients without ophthalmopathy but not in those with ophthalmopathy. In five patients sIL-2R serum levels were studied after interruption of thyrostatic therapy. An increase was observed in three patients and hyperthyroidism subsequently relapsed in two of these. Furthermore, a correlation was found between soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels and TSH-receptor antibodies but not with other immune parameters examined. Serum sIL-2R represents a useful marker of immunological activity in Graves' disease.
authors.affiliation: III. Department of Medicine, Teaching Hospital, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balazs
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Farid
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000187:drug effects; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D008713:Methimazole; D011239:Prednisolone