title: Serum levels of IL-18 and sIL-2R in patients with alopecia areata receiving combined therapy with oral cyclosporine and steroids.
abstract: This study was to determine which immunologic factors contribute to the prognosis of patients with alopecia areata (AA) who were receiving oral cyclosporine A and methylprednisolone. Patients with > 25% hair regrowth were defined as responders, and patients exhibiting < or = 25% regrowth were poor-responders. The serum levels of IL-18 and soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were measured at baseline in 21 patients with AA and 22 control subjects. The mean serum level of IL-18 in the patients with extensive AA was significantly higher than that in the control subjects. The mean serum concentration of sIL-2R in the AA patients significantly decreased after 1 month of treatment. The mean basal serum level of IL-18 was highest in the responder, whereas the baseline level of sIL-2R was significantly higher in the poor-responder group than other groups. In conclusion, increased serum sIL-2R level and lower IL-18 level at baseline was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with AA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soon-Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Sung-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dae-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Ji-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shon
authors.forename: Jae-Gook
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Seon-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ho-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011241:Prednisone