title: Soluble interleukin-1 receptor antagonist concentration in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy is neither related to cigarette smoking nor predictive of subsequent response to glucocorticoids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum soluble interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (sIL-1RA) concentration and its relationship with the degree of cigarette smoking in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two consecutive GO patients (20 women, two men; age range 25-68 years, mean 48 years; 12 smokers, 10 non-smokers) submitted to IV glucocorticoid pulses over a 3-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  sIL-1RA levels were measured by an immunoenzymatic assay (sensitivity, 4 ng/l; normal range, 50-290 ng/l) before glucocorticoid treatment, after two months of therapy, and 3 months after drug withdrawal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients responded to treatment (59%; five smokers and eight non-smokers), nine were non-responders (41%; seven smokers and two non-smokers). Baseline median sIL-1RA concentration did not differ in smokers and non-smokers (222 and 173 ng/l, respectively; P = 0.69). Likewise, no significant differences were found between the two groups during treatment (537 and 389 ng/l, respectively; P = 0.28); sIL-1RA concentration after treatment was higher in smokers (258 vs. 94 ng/l; P = 0.02). There was no correlation between basal sIL-1RA levels and the degree of cigarette smoking. Likewise, there was no difference in sIL-1RA levels in responders and non-responders, either at baseline (186 vs. 216 ng/l; P = 0.83), during or after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that circulating soluble interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels, both at baseline and during glucocorticoid treatment, are neither influenced by cigarette smoking nor predictive of subsequent response to glucocorticoid treatment.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Endocrinologia e Metabolismo, Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Medicina del Lavoro, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. l.bartalena@endoc.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bartalena
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manetti
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tanda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dell'Unto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbesino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinchera
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marcocci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D008713:Methimazole; D013974:Thyroxine; D008775:Methylprednisolone