Increased interleukin-11 associated with disease activity and development of interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

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CER14200
2022 Vol.40, N°1
PI 0135, PF 0141
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PMID: 33666155 [PubMed]

Received: 06/11/2020
Accepted : 01/02/2021
In Press: 02/03/2021
Published: 28/01/2022

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the association of serum interleukin-11 (IL-11) with disease activity and occurrence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
METHODS:
One hundred and six RA patients were included, including 31 with ILD. All patients were divided into two groups according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), active-disease group (DAS28>3.2) and target-achieved group (DAS28≤3.2). Serum IL-11 was detected by ELISA. Serum autoantibodies [anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor (RF)], inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)], and complete blood count were measured with routine methods.
RESULTS:
Serum IL-11 was upregulated in RA patients compared with healthy controls (HC), and increased more significantly in patients with ILD (RA-ILD) than patients without ILD (RA-nonILD). In both RA-ILD and RA-nonILD patients, serum level of IL-11 was higher in the active-disease group than that in the target-achieved group. Pearson correlation analysis confirmed that IL-11 was positively correlated with DAS28. No significant correlation was found between serum level of IL-11 and ACPA or RF. IL-11 was positively correlated with ESR and CRP levels and PLT count in RA patients.
CONCLUSIONS:
IL-11 was found to be involved in the development of arthritis and ILD in RA patients, and might constitute a potential target for the treatment of RA-ILD.