| ObjectiveTo Analysis the clinical characteristics of MG patients and explore the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG) by detecting the levels of IL-18 in serum.MethodsThe levels of IL-18 in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 41MG patients and 26 healthy blood donors. MG pathients were diagnosed in the outpatient department of Tongji Hospital from Oct 2009 to Aug 2010 and divided into different subgroups according to the baseline characteristics, different comorbidities and therapies for statistical anaylsis.ResultsThe levels of serum IL-18 in MG patients accompanying with hyperthyroidism were lower than those of MG patients with euthyroid state (P<0.05). The levels of IL-18 in serum of 12 MG patients treated with steroid were higher than those of MG patitents without steroid treatment(P<0.05). There was no statistical differences could be discovered among other subgroups, such as sex and different clinical classificaton (P>0.05). The rank Correlation Coefficient (rs) between the IL-18 level and the absolute scores was -0.101(P>0.05).ConclusionIL-18 might participate in the pathogenesis of MG. IL -18 might be the new starting point for the study of pathogenesis in MG patients accompanying with thyroid lesion . The glucocorticoids might induce the expression of IL-18,and it might be the reason why high doses hormone evoked MG crises . |
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