title: Increased serum interleukin-32 levels in patients with Behçet's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interleukin (IL)-32 is known to act as a proinflammatory cytokine and is likely involved in several chronic inflammatory diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate whether serum IL-32 levels are elevated in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and to identify the correlation between IL-32 levels and disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 50 patients with BD and 35 healthy controls. Serum IL-32 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured using a multiplex assay. BD disease activity was determined using the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IL-32 levels were significantly higher in patients with BD (median [interquartile ranges], 0.4 [0.1-736.2] pg/mL) than in healthy controls (0.1 [0.1-14.7] pg/mL, P = 0.041). When patients with BD were divided into active (patient index score ≥ 2 or transformed index score ≥ 5 in the BDCAF) and inactive groups, IL-32 levels tended to be higher in patients with active BD, although this observation was statistically insignificant. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 did not differ between active and inactive groups. There was a weak positive correlation between serum IL-32 levels and BDCAF scores (R = 0.301, P = 0.033). BD patients with recent arthralgia exhibited higher IL-32 levels than did those without (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that IL-32 may play a minor role in the pathogenesis of BD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: You-Jung
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6107-9523
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Il
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Kon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Beom
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Won
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8038-3341
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C496971:IL32 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007378:Interleukins
keywords: Behçet's disease; arthralgia; cytokines; interleukin-32