Pentoxyfilline treatment does not influence the plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R in limited scleroderma patients.
BACKGROUND
In this study we investigated whether plasma level of IL-2 or sIL-2R shows the clinical disease status.


METHODS
Plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R were measured by ELISA in 23 patients with limited scleroderma (1SSc-acrosclerosis) and compared with 12 healthy women.


RESULTS
Plasma levels of sIL-2R in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement (3446.1 +/- 1329.7 pg/ml) were significantly higher compared with those with minimal internal organs involvement (1606.4 +/- 507.3 pg/ml). Plasma level of IL-2 in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement (8.12 +/- 7.77 pg/ml) did not differ much from that of the patients with minimal internal organs involvement (7.42 +/- 9.28 pg/ml). Treatment with pentoxyfilline did not influence the plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that elevated plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R are markers of internal organ involvement in scleroderma.
Department of Dermatology, Medical University, ul. Radziwillowska 13, 20-250 Lublin, Poland.
M
M
Chibowska
D
D
Krasowska
J
J
Weglarz
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D010431:Pentoxifylline