Serum cytokine levels in autoimmune and non-autoimmune hyperthyroid states
Although the role of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</FONT>IFN) is still poorly understood in hyperthyroid diseases, it is reasonable to assume that these cytokines may be present at higher levels in Graves' disease (GD) than in other primarily non-autoimmune thyroid diseases. In order to look for an easy method to distinguish GD from primarily non-autoimmune causes of hyperthyroidism, we compared 13 healthy individuals with 21 treated and untreated hyperthyroid GD patients and with 19 patients with hyperthyroidism due to other etiologies: 7 cases of multinodular goiter, 5 cases of excessive hormone replacement and 7 cases of amiodarone-associated hyperthyroidism. All patients presented low TSH levels and a dubious clinical thyroid state. We found a good correlation between TSH and serum IL-2 levels (r = 0.56; P<0.01). Serum IL-2 (P<0.01) and <FONT FACE="Symbol">g</FONT>IFN (P<0.01) levels were lower in the hyperthyroid group of patients than in control subjects, suggesting a depressed TH1 pattern in the T-cell subset of hyperthyroid patients. GD had normal IL-2 levels, while patients with other forms of thyrotoxicosis presented decreased IL-2 levels (P<0.05). There was no difference between treated and untreated GD patients. We suggest that the direct measurement of serum IL-2 level may help to confirm hyperthyroidism caused by GD.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
2000
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| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2000000100009 |
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