[Soluble IL-2 receptor levels in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy].
OBJECTIVE
Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels in sera with Graves' ophthmopathy was investigated for its relationship to the clinical manifestations and therapeutic effects.


METHODS
sIL-2R levels were measured in sera of 41 patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy which had not yet received specific treatment for their ophthalmopathy and euthyroid during the entire study period and 49 normal subjects.


RESULTS
In untreated patients, the mean levels of sIL-2R were significantly higher than those in the normal subjects (P < 0.001). There was no difference in the levels of sIL-2R between patients with hyperthyriod Graves' ophthalmopathy and those with enthyroid Graves' ophthalmopathy. The levels of sIL-2R in patients with response for corticosteoids treatment were significantly higher than that in patients with non-response for corticosteoids treatment (P < 0.001), but there were no differences between the each class present in the NOSPECS classification of ophthalmopathy. 12 patients with response for corticosreoids had lower sIL-2R levels After 3-month treatment than pertreatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that elevated sIL-2R levels in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy may be derived from ophthalmopathy itself, e.g. intra-orbital activated lymphocytes, and serve as a useful parameter to evaluate clinical activity score and predict value of corticosteoids treatment outcome.
Yang
H
H
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Wu
Z
Z
Huang
X
X
Xie
C
C
Yang
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011241:Prednisone