AB0678 INTERLEUKIN-18 AS A PREDICTOR OF SUBCLINICAL CARDIOVASCULAR AFFECTION AND DISEASE ACTIVITY IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS PATIENTS

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 82; no. Suppl 1; p. 1542
• Main Authors: Tabra, S A A, Abu-Zaid, M H, Maria, D, Elsharaby, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.06.2023
• Subjects: Autoimmune diseases; Cardiovascular diseases; Cytokines; Disease; Echocardiography; Gelsolin; Interleukin 18; Kidney diseases; Lupus; Plasma; Plasma levels; Systemic lupus erythematosus
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2023-eular.572

BackgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease which has variable clinical manifestations and causes severe organ damage (1). Interleukin-18 (il-18) is a pro-inflammatorycytokine which plays a key role in many inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases (2).ObjectivesEvaluation of plasma level of IL-18 in SLE patients and correlate it with the subclinical cardiovascular affection and disease activity.MethodsThirty lupus patients (G I), and 30 healthy age and sex matched volunteers as control group (G II) were recruited for this case control study. All participants were subjected to complete history taking and clinical assessment, lupus disease activity was measure using SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), Serum IL-18 level, CRP, C3, C4, anti dsDNA, and lipid profiles were measured. Cardiovascular assessments were done using echocardiography, flow mediated dilatation of the brachial artery (FMD), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Plasma levels of IL-18 were measured and correlated with different parameters.ResultsThere were no significant differences between the patients and controls regarding demographic data (P>0.05). The mean SLEDAI-2K was 3.5±2.1. The mean plasma level of IL-18 was 432.85±165.37 pg/ml in lupus patients, while IL-18 was 195.65±82.91 pg/ml in healthy volunteers, there was significant elevation of il-18 level in lupus patients in comparison with controls. There were significantly lowering levels of C3, & C4 in lupus patients. Regarding cardiovascular assessment; SLE patients showed significantly higher lipid profile, & cIMT measures and revealed lower FMD as well as detecting echocardiographic abnormalities compared to controls. (These date were summarized in Table 1).Serum IL-18 was positively correlated with cIMT and SLEDAI-2K, also IL-18 was negatively correlated with FMD, C3 & C4.ConclusionIL-18 was an independent predictor of cardiovascular events in SLE patients, also it was correlated with lupus activity.References[1]Mosaad, G.M., Abdel moneam, S.M., Soliman, A.F. et al. (2022): Implication of plasma gelsolin in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Egypt Rheumatol Rehabil 49, 1.[2]Formanowicz, D., Wanic-Kossowska, M., Pawliczak, E. et al. (2015): Usefulness of serum interleukin-18 in predicting cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease – systems and clinical approach. Sci Rep 5, 18332.Table 1.Comparison between lupus patients and controls regarding different parametersLupus patients (30)Controls (30)P valueC3 (mg/dL)78.9±22.9116.8±18.6< 0.0001C4 (mg/dL)9.6±4.825.7±4.6< 0.0001SLEDAI-2K3.5±2.1--cIMT (mm)0.91±0.270.68±0.210.0005FMD%5.92±2.257.65±2.160.0036IL-18 (pg/ml)432.85±165.37195.65±82.91< 0.001Disclosure of InterestsNone declared