title: [Interleukin-18 in systemic lupus erythematosus: link with clinical symptoms and vascular atherosclerosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine correlation between IL-18 concentration, SLE manifestations and atherosclerotic vascular affection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 162 SLE female patients (age 26-43 years, mean age 35 years, duration of SLE 28-204 months, mean duration 96.0 months) and 64 healthy controls (women aged 30.0-45.0 years, mean age 35.5 years). We analysed correlation between IL-18 concentration, SLE symptoms, classic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, subclinical and clinical signs of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-18 in blood serum of SLE patients was much higher than in the control group (p < 0.00001). A positive correlation exists between IL-concentration and the disease activity by scale SLEDAI-2K, the level of antibodies to IgG cardiolipin, ESR, SLE, titers of antibodies to double-chain DNA, concentration of creatinin, urine, glucocorticoids dose taken by the patients at examination. In SLE patients with stomatitis, hematological, immunological disorders, a positive test for antinuclear factor, IL-18 was much higher than in patients without the above signs. No significant correlation was seen between IL-18 concentration, subclinical and clinical signs of atherosclerosis, Of risk factors, there was a negative correlation between total cholesterol concentration, LDLP and HDLP cholesterol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In SLE patients a high IL-18 level reflects activity of the basic disease and is not related with vascular atherosclerosis.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Panafidina
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Popkova
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Alekberova
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Aleksandrova
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Nasonov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020382:Interleukin-18