Relationship between serum interleukin-1β levelsand acute phase response proteins in patients with familial Mediterranean fever

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL–1β) has any possible correlation on inflammatory parameters such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and fibrinogen concentration in patients with familial Mediterra-nean fever (FMF) patients during attack-free period. Materials and methods: The serum levels of IL-1β, as an indicator of cytokines status, and the acute phase response proteins, CRP, ESR and fibrinogen levels were evaluated in 35 attack-free patients with FMF and 25 healthy volunteers. Results: Serum IL-1β levels were significantly higher in patients with FMF than control subjects (P = 0.018). There was no statistically significant difference in the serum levels of ESR, CRP and fibrino-gen between two groups (P = 0.181, P = 0.816, P = 0.686, respectively). There was a significant cor-relation between IL-1β and CRP (r = 0.513, P = 0.002) values of FMF group. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results confirm the presence of increased IL-1β levels in FMF pati-ents during attack-free period. Serum IL-1β values seems to correlate with CRP levels. The elevation of IL-1β levels may be important in monitoring subclinical inflammation of attack free period in FMF patients.