Proinflammatory cytokine levels in hyperthyroidism.
BACKGROUND
Among suspected causes of the osteoporosis frequently seen in untreated thyrotoxicosis are the osteotrophic cytokines. We studied serum levels of osteotrophic cytokines including interlukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with various hyperthyroid states.


METHODS
Serum cytokines were detected in 4 groups of


METHODS
14 patients with Graves' disease, 9 patients with toxic nodular goitre, 27 patients with toxic multinodular goitre and 30 euthyroid control subjects. The levels of IL-1-beta, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in the serum were determined by the IMMULITE autoanalyzer, using a chemoilluminesence method.


RESULTS
Compared with euthyroid control subjects, patients with hyperthyroidism had significantly elevated serum levels of IL-8 (506.8 pg/mL v. 7.0 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and TNR-alpha (18.6 pg/mL v. 8.7 pg/mL, p < 0.05). Levels of IL-1-beta (12.2 pg/mL v. 5.0 pg/mL) and IL-6 (30.3 pg/mL v. 5.3 pg/mL) were also higher in controls, but the differences were not statistically significant. Levels of the cytokines were similar in 14 patients with diffuse goitre compared with 36 patients having nodular goitre. Cytokine levels in 20 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal women with hyperthyroidism were also similar.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that increased circulating cytokine concentrations observed in patients with hyperthyroidism may derive from the activation of humoral reactions in sites other than the thyroid.
Department of Immunology, Medical School of Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey. taskinsenturk@yahoo.com
Taskin
T
Senturk
L Didem
LD
Kozaci
Fayat
F
Kok
Gurhan
G
Kadikoylu
Zahit
Z
Bolaman
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood
D016207:Cytokines; D006728:Hormones