Table 2 Median BALF cytokine concentrations and ranges in SSc patients with and without alveolitis compared to different controls
Cytokine | Median concentration in BALF from SSc patients (range) | Median concentration in BALF from control patients (range) | P values |
|---|---|---|---|
SSc (n = 38) versus all controls (n = 26) | |||
IL-6 | 17.72 (1.7–177) | 25.5 (6.3–567) | 0.027 |
IL-7 | 4.43 (0–17.4) | 1.95 (0–8.6) | 0.0123 |
SSc alveolitis (n = 27) versus alveolitis due to other disease (n = 20) | |||
IL-7 | 4.88 (0.75–17.4) | 1.95 (0–8.6) | 0.0037 |
SSc alveolitis (n = 27) versus alveolitis due to sarcoidosis (n = 12) | |||
IL-7 | 4.88 (0.75–17.4) | 2.01 (0–8.6) | 0.0414 |
IL-8 | 105.5 (14.9–754) | 46.3 (13.0–191.8) | 0.0372 |
ILD-positive SSc (n = 27) versus idiopathic ILD (n = 6) | |||
IL-7 | 4.88 (0.75–17.4) | 2.0 (0–4) | 0.0423 |
IL-10 | 2.23 (1.3–6.7) | 1.75 (0–2.1) | 0.0297 |
IL-4 | 3.47 (0–22.9) | 0 (0–5.2) | 0.048 |
IL-6 | 20.9 (1.7–177) | 13.4 (6.2–20.0) | 0.0496 |
IL-7 | 4.88 (0.75–17.4) | 2 (0–5.8) | 0.0461 |
IL-8 | 106 (14.9–794) | 47 (5.9–223) | 0.0132 |
CCL2 | 92.2 (14.1–2001) | 24.1 (0–97.5) | 0.0018 |
ILD-positive SSc (n = 27) versus ILD-negative controls without any lung disease (n = 6) | |||
IL-7 | 4.88 (0.75–17.4) | 2 (0–8.2) | 0.014 |
IL-8 | 106 (14.9–794) | 31 (0–112.2) | 0.0143 |
CCL2 | 92.2 (14.1–2001) | 31.6 (14.4–42.6) | 0.0051 |
CCL4 | 46.0 (24.6–350) | 21.6 (2.8–58.8) | 0.0048 |
TNF-α | 1.2 (0–8.1) | 0 (0–0.6) | 0.01 |