OBJECTIVE: Detect the expression of Interleukin-6(IL-6) in the serum of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and assess its association with clinical and laboratory features of the disease. METHODS: The clinical data from 50 patients with SSc in the affiliated hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, China were retrospectively analyzed. The level of IL-6 in peripheral blood of systemic sclerosis patients was compared between the different clinical phenotypes groups. Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation of the IL-6 with C-reactive protein(CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), creatinine, and cystatin C. RESULTS: IL-6 increased in the disease course ≥ 5 years, systemic sclerosis- Interstitial lung disease(SSc-ILD), pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH), gastrointestinal involvement, and cardiac involvement group compared with the group with disease course < 5 years, no SSc-ILD, PAH, gastrointestinal involvement, and no cardiac involvement group. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that IL-6 in the group with disease course ≥ 5 years had a positive correlation with ESR (Rs=0.438, P=0.022) and CRP (Rs=0.825, P<0.001), whereas it was negatively correlated with creatinine (Rs=-0.481, P=0.011). Nevertheless, when it came to disease course < 5 years, the figures had no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Serum IL-6 in patients with systemic sclerosis is related to different clinical phenotypes. IL-6 helps to diagnose various phases of diseases, monitor severities of diseases, and predict the prognosis of patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE: Detect the expression of Interleukin-6(IL-6) in the serum of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and assess its association with clinical and laboratory features of the disease. METHODS: The clinical data from 50 patients with SSc in the affiliated hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, China were retrospectively analyzed. The level of IL-6 in peripheral blood of systemic sclerosis patients was compared between the different clinical phenotypes groups. Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation of the IL-6 with C-reactive protein(CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), creatinine, and cystatin C. RESULTS: IL-6 increased in the disease course ≥ 5 years, systemic sclerosis- Interstitial lung disease(SSc-ILD), pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH), gastrointestinal involvement, and cardiac involvement group compared with the group with disease course < 5 years, no SSc-ILD, PAH, gastrointestinal involvement, and no cardiac involvement group. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that IL-6 in the group with disease course ≥ 5 years had a positive correlation with ESR (Rs=0.438, P=0.022) and CRP (Rs=0.825, P<0.001), whereas it was negatively correlated with creatinine (Rs=-0.481, P=0.011). Nevertheless, when it came to disease course < 5 years, the figures had no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Serum IL-6 in patients with systemic sclerosis is related to different clinical phenotypes. IL-6 helps to diagnose various phases of diseases, monitor severities of diseases, and predict the prognosis of patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.