Table 5.
Cytokine and chemokine concentrations from 35 SSc BALF samples related to the clinical characteristics and progression of ILD
| Parameter | All BALF samples (n = 35) |
Samples from stable ILD (n = 19) |
Samples from progressive ILD (n = 16) |
Samples from end-stage ILD (n = 12) |
| G-CSF | 28.2 (1.4–191) | 23.9 (1.4–45) | 34.1 (20.2–191)a | 32.6 (20.2–50.6)a |
| IL-1 | 0.9 (0–17.2) | 0.5 (0–2.8) | 1.3 (0.3–17.2)b | 1.3 (0.3–17.2)a |
| IL-2 | 3.6 (0–24.9) | 0.9 (0–7.6) | 5.7 (0.9–24.9)a | 5.7 (2.8–24.9)b |
| IL-4 | 0.4 (0–22.9) | 0 (0–4.6) | 3.5 (0–22.9)b | 5.2 (0–22.9)a |
| IL-6 | 15.8 (1.7–104.6) | 13.1 (6.2–30.7) | 21.4 (1.7–104.6)b | 21.4 (1.7–104.6)b |
| IL-7 | 4.43 (0–11.7) | 3.5 (0–6.1) | 4.88 (1.24–11.66) | 4.88 (1.95–11.66) |
| IL-8 | 71.1 (5.9–794.5) | 43.7 (5.9–209.3) | 105.5 (22.4–794.5)b | 124.2 (53.8–94.5)b |
| CCL2 | 47.1 (0–19,248) | 44.6 (0–19,248) | 92.2 (14.1–2,000.5) | 139.4 (26.7–2,000)a |
| CCL4 | 45.5 (4.2–119.9) | 39.5 (4.2–111.3) | 53.9 (24.6–119.9) | 53.9 (35–107.1) |
| TNF-α | 0.9 (0–8.1) | 0.3 (0–3.6) | 1.7 (0–8.1)b | 1.9 (0–8.1)b |
| Immunosuppressive therapy at the time point of BAL (during follow-up) | ||||
| CTX/MMF | 8 (23) | 1 (9) | 8 (16) | 7 (12) |
| AZA/others | 8 (11) | 6 (9) | 2 (2) | 1 (1) |
| Number | 17 (3) | 10 (3) | 6 (0) | 4 (0) |
| Patients | 29 | 19 | 10 | 6 |
| Age (y) | 59 (37–72) | 61 (37–72) | 53 (38–63)b | 49 (41–59)b |
| Disease duration (a) | 3 (0.5–14) | 3.5 (0.5–14) | 3 (0.5–10) | 3 (0.5–8) |
| S/Ex/NS (%) | 3/7/19 (10/24/66) | 1/3/15 (5/16/79) | 2/4/4 (20/40/40) | 1/4/1 (17/67/17) |
| Female | 22 (76%) | 15 (79%) | 7 (70%) | 4 (67%) |
| mRSS | 13 (0–31) | 14 (0–31) | 10.5 (0–24) | 11.5 (0–24) |
| HR-CT score | 13.5 (0–27) | 13.8 (0–27) | 13 (0–27) | 17 (0.7–27) |
| TLC (%) | 81.2 (47.2–124) | 81.2 (47.9–124) | 79.4 (47.2–104) | 65.4 (47.2–97.1) |
| FVC (%) | 75.7 (29.3–108) | 84.4 (29.3–108) | 68.8 (43.3–92.7)b | 62.2 (43.3–72.6)b |
| DLCO (%) | 61.6 (20.4–108.3) | 66.7 (32.9–108.3) | 53.6 (20.4–68.4)a | 36.6 (20–68.4)b |
| Neutrophils (%) | 3 (0–49) | 2 (0–9) | 14.5 (3–49)c | 16.5 (4–38)c |
| Macrophages | 82 (39–98) | 87.5 (39–98) | 73 (41–93)a | 74 (49–91) |
| Death | 4 (14%) | 1 (6%) | 3 (30%) | 3 (50%) |
Progressive ILD was defined either by worsening of HR-CT (≥ 3) or by changes of the predicted FVC, DLCO-SB, or TLC values for ≥ 10% during a follow-up of 2.5 years. End-stage ILD was defined either by death or by the need for continuous oxygen supplementation. CTX = cyclophosphamide; MMF = mycophenolate mofetil; AZA = azathioprine; S = smoker; Ex = ex-smoker; N = non-smoker. Concentrations are given in picogram per milliliter. Median values and ranges are shown. P values of the Mann-Whitney test are given by aP < 0.05, bP < 0.01, cP < 0.001.