University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Cytokine. 2010 Apr;50(1):94-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2009.12.014. Epub 2010 Jan 21.
The pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-18 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) may play a role in coronary heart disease (CHD). We aimed to extend data on their relationships to the risk of CHD in generally healthy populations.
During 5.5years follow-up in the Fletcher Challenge general population cohort there were 256 CHD cases, and 615 controls were matched for age and sex. Baseline plasma levels of IL-18 and TNFalpha were related to CHD risk in available samples (77%).
Plasma levels of IL-18 (11% increase in mean, p=0.01) and TNFalpha (10% increase in mean p=0.024) were significantly elevated in CHD cases versus controls. In univariable models IL-18 was associated with CHD risk (odds ratio [OR] upper third to lower third, 1.63; 95% CI 1.08, 2.46), but TNFalpha was not (OR 1.33; 95% CI 0.87, 2.02).After adjusting for major CHD risk factors and CRP, the association of IL-18 with CHD risk was attenuated (OR 1.69; 95% CI 0.94, 3.03).
IL-18, but not TNFalpha, had a non-negligible association with CHD risk, although the association of IL-18 with risk was weak after full adjustment. These cytokines may play a role in CHD pathology, but may not be robust risk biomarkers.
促炎细胞因子白细胞介素（IL）-18 和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNFalpha）可能在冠心病（CHD）中发挥作用。我们旨在扩展其与一般健康人群中 CHD 风险关系的数据。
在弗莱彻挑战普通人群队列中进行了 5.5 年的随访，有 256 例 CHD 病例，615 例对照按年龄和性别匹配。在可获得的样本中（77%），基线血浆中 IL-18 和 TNFalpha 的水平与 CHD 风险相关。
CHD 病例与对照组相比，血浆中 IL-18（平均升高 11%，p=0.01）和 TNFalpha（平均升高 10%，p=0.024）水平显著升高。在单变量模型中，IL-18 与 CHD 风险相关（上三分之一与下三分之一的比值比 [OR]，1.63；95%置信区间 [CI]，1.08，2.46），而 TNFalpha 则不然（OR 1.33；95% CI，0.87，2.02）。在调整主要 CHD 危险因素和 CRP 后，IL-18 与 CHD 风险的相关性减弱（OR 1.69；95% CI，0.94，3.03）。
IL-18 而非 TNFalpha 与 CHD 风险有一定的关联，尽管在充分调整后，IL-18 与风险的关联较弱。这些细胞因子可能在 CHD 病理中发挥作用，但不是稳健的风险生物标志物。
