Table 1

Characteristics of systemic sclerosis patients with low, intermediate and high serum IL-15 levels
Characteristic
 Low IL-15 level, <0.64 pg/ml (n = 33)
Intermediate IL-15 level, 0.64–0.88 pg/ml (n = 15)
High IL-15 level, >0.88 pg/ml (n = 13)
Female/male
 29/4
 (88/12)
 11/4
 (73/27)
 10/3
 (77/23)
Age at onset (years)
 52
 (45–57)
 48
 (45–54)
 57
 (53–61)
Disease duration (months)
 19
 (13–28)
 16
 (11–25)
 11
 (8–21)
Clinical features





     Skin score (points)
 9
 (4–14)
 11
 (4–17)
 15
 (8–21)
     Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis/limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis
 8/25
 (24/76)
 3/12
 (20/80)
 6/7
 (46/54)
     Pitting scars or ulcer
 9
 (27)
 6
 (40)
 3
 (23)
     Telangiectasis
 9
 (27)
 6
 (40)
 1
 (8)
     Calcinosis
 6
 (18)
 5
 (33)
 5
 (38)
Organ involvement





     Oesophagus
 20
 (61)
 11
 (73)
 10
 (77)
     Lung (radiological)
 7
 (21)
 2
 (13)
 4
 (31)
     Heart
 5
 (15)
 4
 (27)
 4
 (31)
     Kidney
 1
 (3)
 1
 (7)
 0
 (0)
     Muscle
 1
 (3)
 2
 (13)
 1
 (8)
     Joint
 5
 (15)
 1
 (7)
 0
 (0)
Lung function tests





     Vital capacity (p%)
 94
 (85–103)
 94
 (84–105)
 75
 (66–89)*
     Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (p%)
 84
 (77–97)
 71
 (60–87)†
 70
 (62–81)‡
Serological findings





     Antinuclear antibodies
 21
 (64)
 14
 (93)
 11
 (85)
     Anti-scleroderma-70 antibodies
 6
 (18)
 4
 (27)
 2
 (15)
     Anticentromer antibodies
 10
 (30)
 2
 (13)
 2
 (15)
Laboratory findings





     Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/hour)
 17
 (10–27)
 12
 (8–22)
 12
 (6–18)
     C-reactive protein (mg/l)
 0
 (0–6)
 0
 (0–8)
 1.6
 (0–8.1)
     Orosomucoid (g/l)
 0.8
 (0.68–0.91)
 0.86
 (0.77–0.96)
 0.85
 (0.80–1.11)
     IgG (g/l)
 10.9
 (9.5–14.6)
 9.5
 (7.6–12.2)
 12.6
 (9.6–15.1)

Data presented as the median (25th and 75th percentiles) or as n (%). Kruskal–Wallis analysis showed P < 0.05 for the vital capacity and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. *P < 0.05 for high IL-15 serum level versus low and intermediate IL-15 serum levels; ‡P < 0.05 for high IL-15 serum level versus low IL-15 serum level; †P = 0.057 for intermediate IL-15 serum level versus low IL-15 serum level.

Wuttge et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007 9:R85   doi:10.1186/ar2284

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