Serum Interleukin-23 in Polish Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Association with Lupus Nephritis, Obesity, and Peripheral Vascular Disease

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the correlation between the serum concentration of interleukin- (IL-) 23 and atherosclerotic changes, traditional atherosclerotic risk factors, the autoantibody profile, and involvement of selected organs in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 94 SLE patients and 27 controls. We analyzed the IL-23 serum concentration, autoantibodies, carotid intima-media thickness and atherosclerotic plaque, the ankle-brachial index, atherosclerotic risk factors, and organ manifestations. RESULTS: Concentrations of IL-23 significantly differed between SLE patients and the controls (p = 0.0015). On the basis of multivariate stepwise analysis, we revealed that high levels of IL-23 were associated with atherosclerotic plaque in common femoral arteries (OR = 12.67; 95% CI: 1.41–113.84), lupus nephritis (OR = 3.69; 95% CI: 1.16–12.22), and obesity (OR = 4.21; 95% CI: 1.40–12.67). Autoantibodies related to IL-23 were anti-phosphatidylethanolamine antibodies (OR = 11.06; 95% CI: 1.24–98.65) and anti-SS-B/La antibodies (OR = 15.43; 95% CI: 1.73–137.25). CONCLUSIONS: IL-23 may be involved in lupus nephritis pathogenesis. Through its association with obesity and selected antiphospholipid antibodies, IL-23 might promote a hypercoagulable state contributing to atherothrombosis development in SLE patients.