Table 2. Cytokine levels in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis assessed median 16.8 years after disease onset, and in controls.
JDM active | JDM inactive | All JDM | Controls | p value | |
MCP-1 | 35.5 (19.9) | 33.8 (24.2) | 34.7 (21.9) | 25.3 (11.4) | 0.006 |
IP-10 | 1598 (1631) | 1361 (877) | 1484 (1316) | 1036 (475) | 0.026 |
Eotaxin | 150 (118) | 133 (90) | 142 (105) | 108 (63.6) | 0.039 |
IL-6 | 8.4 (14.1) | 4.9 (4.0) | 6.7 (10.6) | 4.0 (2.0) | 0.060 |
TNF-α | 23.3 (25.7) | 21.4 (18.0) | 22.4 (22.2) | 16.3 (7.2) | 0.065 |
IL-13 | 2.7 (4.7) | 2.8 (4.6) | 2.8 (4.6) | 1.6 (0.9) | 0.078 |
IL-8 | 11.3 (3.3) | 10.6 (2.0) | 10.9 (2.7) | 10.2 (2.2) | 0.080 |
IL-1Ra | 204 (396) | 134 (140) | 170 (301) | 98.7 (61.5) | 0.084 |
IFN-γ | 62.0 (86.8) | 49.1 (43.5) | 54.7 (70.5) | 40.2 (20.9) | 0.134 |
IL-10 | 6.1 (23.2) | 3.5 (6.8) | 4.8 (17.3) | 1.7 (1.6) | 0.183 |
IL-15 | 2.3 (3.1) | 2.4 (3.0) | 2.4 (3.0) | 1.7 (1.7) | 0.210 |
IL-18 | 422 (152) | 415 (213) | 419 (182) | 391 (154) | 0.336 |
TGF-β1 | 28000 (6770) | 29900 (10700) | 28900 (8860) | 29500 (7360) | 0.703 |
IL-4 | 2.1 (0.57) | 2.1 (0.55) | 2.1 (0.55) | 2.0 (0.57) | 0.794 |
IL-1β | 0.96 (0.90) | 1.1 (1.1) | 1.0 (1.0) | 1.0 (0.9) | 0.946 |
Th1/Th2 | 27.6 (35.3) | 23.8 (22.6) | 25.8 (29.6) | 19.7 (9.4) | 0.780 |
IFN- α | 11.9 (1.8) | 11.1 (0.8) | 11.5 (1.5) | 12.0 (1.4) | 0.07 |
Values for cytokine levels are mean (SD) pg/ml; n: all JDM = 54, controls = 54, JDM active = 28, JDM inactive = 26. p value when comparing cytokine levels in all JDM and controls; for the comparison active vs inactive JDM, no differences were detected. The cytokines shown were selected based on associations seen in the present and/or previous studies on dermatomyositis or other rheumatic diseases. JDM: juvenile dermatomyositis; MCP: monocyte chemoattractant protein; IP: interferon-inducible protein; IL: interleukine; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; Ra: receptor antagonist; TGF: transforming growth factor; Th1/Th2, IFN-γ/IL-4.