IL-18: relationship with anthropometry, body composition parameters, leptin and arterial hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine with potential atherogenic properties whose role in human obesity has been recently suggested. The aim of our study was to analyze the physiologic distribution of IL-18 among sexes and all decades of the adult life in a healthy population randomly selected and to study its relationship with anthropometric, body composition measurements and leptin concentrations. We also studied the relationship of IL-18 with smoking and arterial hypertension, known risk factors implicated in atherogenesis.


METHODS
One hundred and thirty four men and 127 healthy women were included in the study. Plasma concentrations of IL-18 and leptin were determined in all subjects. Body composition was evaluated by bioelectrical impedanciometry.


RESULTS
IL-18 was distributed similarly in men and women and throughout decades. No significant differences were found in IL-18 between obese and normal-weight men and women according to their body mass index and body fat content. Higher IL-18 concentrations were found in subjects with arterial hypertension. In the bivariate correlation analysis only waist to hip ratio correlated weakly with IL-18 in the whole population (r=0.12, p=0.04). In the multiple regression analysis the relationship between IL-18 and waist to hip ratio lost significance after adjusting for age, sex and body mass index. However, IL-18 remained associated with arterial hypertension (adjusted r2=0.25, p=0.023).


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of correlation between IL-18 with anthropometric, body composition variables and leptin in our healthy population argues against a role of this cytokine in obesity. Moreover, our findings suggest the implication of this interleukin in the atherogenic process induced by arterial hypertension.
Vilarrasa
N
N
Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain. nuriavilarrasa@yahoo.es
Vendrell
J
J
Maravall
J
J
Broch
M
M
Estepa
A
A
Megia
A
A
Soler
J
J
Simón
I
I
Richart
C
C
Gómez
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D020382:Interleukin-18; D020738:Leptin