Pentoxyfilline treatment does not influence the plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R in limited scleroderma patients.
BACKGROUND: In this study we investigated whether plasma level of IL-2 or sIL-2R shows the clinical disease status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R were measured by ELISA in 23 patients with limited scleroderma (1SSc-acrosclerosis) and compared with 12 healthy women. RESULTS: Plasma levels of sIL-2R in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement (3446.1 +/- 1329.7 pg/ml) were significantly higher compared with those with minimal internal organs involvement (1606.4 +/- 507.3 pg/ml). Plasma level of IL-2 in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement (8.12 +/- 7.77 pg/ml) did not differ much from that of the patients with minimal internal organs involvement (7.42 +/- 9.28 pg/ml). Treatment with pentoxyfilline did not influence the plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that elevated plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R are markers of internal organ involvement in scleroderma.