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Updated: Sep 3, 2025

Accurate and Simple Measurement of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β using a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay
Published on: March 1, 2011
Serum interleukin 1β in patients with acquired laryngotracheal stenosis
Norazwani Azwal1,2, Yogeswaran Lokanathan3, Mawaddah Azman1
1Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Objectives:
To determine the serum levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) in patients with acquired laryngotracheal stenosis (ALTS) and healthy volunteers and compare levels between serum and tissue of the stenotic segment.
Materials And Methods:
An exploratory cohort study included 20 participants with ALTS and 5 healthy volunteers. ALTS group was categorised into mild and severe according to grade of stenosis and presence of tracheostomy. Comparisons of serum levels of IL-1β between pre- and post-surgical intervention and between blood and tissue samples in the severe ALTS group were made. Correlation of IL-1β levels between blood and tissue was assessed using Spearman's correlation.
Results:
Severe ALTS patients showed higher serum levels of IL-1β compared to mild ALTS and healthy volunteers (p = 0.045). IL-1β was higher before surgical intervention than after surgical intervention (p = 0.003). There was a strong positive correlation of IL-1β between serum and tissue (r = 0.74, p = 0.035).
Conclusion:
Serum levels of IL-1β are higher in ALTS patients than in healthy controls and positively correlate with tissue levels. The decreasing trend of serum IL-1β observed following successful surgical intervention reflects the absence of ongoing inflammation at the stenotic segment.

