Interleukin‑17A and Interleukin‑18 level in the blood serum of patients with different clinical course of Rosacea

Abstract

Introduction. Rosacea is a common chronic dermatosis characterized by lesions of open areas of the skin (face) and torpidity to treatment.
The objective of our study was to determine and analyze the content of proinflammatory cytokines – interleukin‑17A (IL‑17A) and interleukin‑18 (IL‑18) in the serum of patients with rosacea, depending on the nature of the clinical course of dermatosis.

Material and methods. The study involved 36 patients with rosacea, 17 of them diagnosed with erythema‑telangiectatic form and 19 with papulo‑pustular form of rosacea. In 18 patients, the dermatosis lasted for up to 6 months, in the remaining 18 patients for more than 6 months. In patients with rosacea, the serum content of individual cytokines, interleukin‑17A and interleukin‑18 was determined by the immunoassay assay.

Results. It has been established that the content of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum of patients with rosacea is reliably elevated compared to that in the control group – IL‑17A (4.11 times, p <0.001) and IL‑18 (1.63 times, p = 0.002). A more significant increase in the level of IL‑17A in the blood serum of patients with the papulo‑pustular form of rosacea compared to the erythema‑telangiectatic form and duration of dermatosis for more than six months has been found. At the same time, the level of IL‑18 tended to increase more significantly in the early stages of dermatosis – in patients with erythema‑telangiectatic stage of rosacea and duration of the disease up to 6 months, with subsequent decrease in the level of IL‑18 in patients with papulo‑pustular stage and duration of dermatosis more than 6 months.

Conclusions. The patients with rosacea were found to have an elevated level of proinflammatory cytokines – interleukin‑17A and interleukin‑18. The changes in the cytokines depended on the nature of clinical course of rosacea, indicating a significant role in the regulation of inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis of dermatosis and the importance of monitoring the content of blood serum IL‑17A and IL‑18, as prognostic criteria for clinical course and effective treatment of rosacea.

Keywords: rosacea, clinical course, interleukin‑17A, interleukin‑18

Address for correspondence:
Olha I. DENYSENKO
Department of Dermatoveneorology, Higher State Educational Establishment
of Ukraine „Bukovinian State Medical University“
Address: Lermontova str. 11, Chernivtsi, Ukraine 58002
Phone +380505279434, e‑mail: denisenko.olga.md@gmail.com