IL-38 serum levels in patients with Behcet's disease and the relationship with clinical features

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disorder. Various cytokines take part in the pathogenesis of this disease. Interleukin (IL)-38, a new member of IL-1 cytokine family, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties; however, its role in BD has not been investigated yet. In this study, we aimed to examine the probable role of IL-38 in the clinical context of BD. A total of 81 patients with BD and 81 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects as controls were included in this study. The serum levels of IL-38 were measured in patients and controls sera using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between the serum levels of IL-38 and clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients were determined. IL-38 serum levels were significantly lower in patients in comparison with healthy controls at P = 0.003. We found significant differences between IL-38 levels in BD patients with positive and negative pathergy tests (P = 0.048) and patients with and without eye involvement (P = 0.046). Despite the absence of significant differences in serum levels between male and female patients, IL-38 levels were higher in female patients with a positive pathergy test (P = 0.048) and those patients with eye involvement (P = 0.046). As healthy controls showed higher IL-38 serum levels than patients, a protective anti-inflammatory role of IL-38 in BD is suggested. Together, these results suggest that the positive relationship between IL-38 serum levels and eye involvement that IL-38 may play a role in this clinical feature of the disease.