The role of IL-17 rs2275913, IL-17RC rs708567 and TGFB1 rs1800469 SNPs and IL-17A serum levels in patients with lupus nephritis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease and polymorphisms in the cytokine genes and their receptors are thought to influence its development. The aim of this case-control study was to investigate the association of the IL-17A rs2275913, IL-17RC rs708567 and TGFB1 rs1800469 polymorphisms with SLE, its clinical manifestations and the polymorphisms influence on the IL-17A serum levels. Altogether 59 SLE patients with lupus nephritis and 95 healthy controls were genotyped by TaqMan assay. Serum levels were determined by Human IL-17A Platinum ELISA kit. From the studied polymorphisms, only TGFB1 T allele was found to be associated with SLE. Within the patient group, IL-17A GG genotype and TGFB1 -509T allele showed an association with the neurological disease and IL-17RC CC genotype appeared to be associated with lupus arthritis. The IL17A serum levels in the SLE and control groups (7.24 pg/ml and 5.76 pg/ml, respectively) did not show any statistical difference. A weak correlation between IL17A levels and SLEDAI-2K was observed. Our results indicate that IL-17A rs2275913, IL-17RCrs708567 and TGFB1 rs1800469 polymorphisms might play a role in the susceptibility and the clinical manifestations of SLE and IL-17A serum levels should be monitored in the course of the disease. The identification of subsets of SLE with an IL-17-driven disease could improve the therapeutic approach leading to more precise personalized treatment.

Obesity, Echocardiographic Changes and Framingham Risk Score in the Spectrum of Gout: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to establish cardiovascular risk in obese and non-obese patients in stages of gout by using Framingham risk score (FRS) and transthoracic echocardiography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional study encompassed 201 patients (160 males, 41 females; mean age 56.9±13 years; range 20 to 89 years) including 52 asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 86 gouty arthritis without tophi, and 63 gouty tophi patients. Body Mass Index (BMI) and FRS were calculated. Left atrium (LA), interventricular septum, posterior wall (PW) of the left ventricle, fractional shortening (FS), mitral annular systolic velocity (S'), mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E') and transmitral to mitral annular early diastolic velocity ratio (E/E') were measured. Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Shapiro-Wilk test, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, analysis of variance test and multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in FRS, FS, S', E' and E/E' between obese and non-obese patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, gouty arthritis without tophi or gouty tophi. Obese patients in the three disease gradations had larger LA (p=0.007, p=0.004, p=0.039) and thicker PW (p=0.002, p=0.037, p=0.007). Increased BMI independently predicted the thickening of the PW in asymptomatic hyperuricemia (R2=0.319), gouty arthritis without tophi (R2=0.093) and gouty tophi (R2=0.068). CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of difference in FRS and functional systolic and diastolic parameters between obese and non-obese patients in the spectrum of gout, morphological heart changes were more pronounced in obese patients. In gouty tophi, it is possible that higher urate load together with chronic inflammation contribute for the alterations, as obesity worsens them.