title: Increased levels of IL-17A in patients with fibromyalgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma levels of IL-17A in fibromyalgia patients, and to look for any correlations between this data and the concentrations of some pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a study including 58 fibromyalgia patients and 39 healthy women matched for age and body mass index. The plasma levels of IL-17A and other pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured by using the technique of cytometric bead array (CBA). The analysis of differences between groups was performed using Mann-Whitney test and the analysis of the correlations by Spearman's correlation test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analyses showed that fibromyalgia patients present increased levels of IL-17A. They also revealed that plasma concentrations of IL17A positively correlate with levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10, TNF and IFNγ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As far as we are aware, this is the first study to demonstrate increased levels of IL17A in fibromyalgia patients. The positive correlation between the levels of IL-17A and of other cytokines strengthens the hypothesis of the involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in the development of this syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. pernambucoap@ymail.com.
authors.forename: Andrei Pereira
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pernambuco
authors.forename: Luana Pereira Leite
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Schetino
authors.forename: Camila Catizani
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Alvim
authors.forename: Ciro Mancilha
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Murad
authors.forename: Renato Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Luciana Souza Cota
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Débora Ávila
authors.initials: DÁ
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C573415:IFNG protein, human; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508717:IL17A protein, human; C508594:IL2 protein, human; C508598:IL4 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma