title: Serum IL-18 levels in tuberculosis: comparison with pneumonia, lung cancer and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to document the serum IL-18 levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB), extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EP-TB), pneumonia, lung cancer and in healthy controls, and to investigate whether it may assist in the differential diagnosis of P-TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 116 patients were included in the study. The study population consisted of patients with P-TB, EP-TB, pneumonia and lung cancer and controls. P-TB patients were graded according to sputum positivity and extent of disease. Serum levels of IL-18 (ELISA) were compared between groups and with other clinical measures of disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the controls, all groups of patients had increased serum levels of IL-18. The highest mean concentration of IL-18 was observed in P-TB. Serum levels of IL-18 in the patients with P-TB correlated well with the extent of disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although increased serum levels of IL-18 were not specific for TB, the increased levels may favour active TB in radiologically advanced disease where CXR findings are difficult to interpret, and sputum smears or cultures are not helpful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest, Atatürk University, School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey. makgun@atauni.edu.tr
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akgun
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saglam
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaynar
authors.forename: A Kadir
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirici
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorguner
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meral
authors.forename: Kemalettin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020382:Interleukin-18