Changes of inflammatory cytokines IL-18,IL-1 beta and TNF alpha in peripheral blood of patients with gout

Objective To investigate the changes of inflammatory cytokines IL-18, IL-1 beta and TNF alpha in peripheral blood in patients with gout, and explore its role in gout and high uric acid hematic disease. Methods A total 49 cases were recruited from outpatients in our hospital and ward patients between August, 2013 and October, 2014 (includes 24 cases in acute phase and 25 cases in intermission). 9 cases in normal control group came from health check-up crowd in the same period in outpatients. The fast peripheral venous blood was prepared, and the levels of blood uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 1 beta (interleukin 1 beta, IL-1 beta), interleukin-18 (interleukin-18, IL-18) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-α) were tested. Results The serum level of IL-18 in Gout group and the normal control group were[105. 66 (43. 32, 190. 83)]pg/ml and[0. 00 (0. 00, 0. 00)]pg/ml, respectively; levels of IL-1 beta were[0. 00 (0. 00, 0. 15)]pg/ml and[0. 03 (0. 00, 0. 30)]pg/ml, levels of TNF-α were[0. 00 (0. 00, 4. 60)]pg/ml and[0. 00 (0. 00, 6. 77)]pg/ml. When compared with normal control group, the difference in IL-18 was statistically significant (r_s=0. 497, P < 0. 001). CRP and IL-18 were positively correlated (r_s=0. 366, P=0. 010); There was no correlation between the changes of IL-18, IL-1 and TNF-α. But Uric acid and TNF-α were negative correlated (r=-0. 431, P=0. 036) in acute stage. In intermission, IL-18 and IL-1β were negative correlated (r_s=-0. 402, P=0. 046), There was no correlation IL-18, IL-1, TNF-α, CRP with Uric acid. Conclusion The level of IL-18 in the peripheral blood raise significantly in gout patients. IL-18 may participate in the process of chronic inflammatory in gout and relate to the increase of uric acid.