The Relationship between Serum IL-17 and IL-23 Levels, and Other Disease Activity Parameters in Patients with Behcet's Disease

Objective: To investigate the relationship between disease activity and the involvement of Behcet's disease (BD) and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23. Methods: Sixty patients with BD and 20 healthy control group subjects were included in this study. The patients were divided into four groups according to clinical findings as follows: entero-Behcet, mucocutaneous-Behcet, neuro-Behcet and vascular-Behcet. The serum levels of the IL-17 and IL-23 levels were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Of the BD patients, 15 (25%) had active disease and 45 (75%) had inactive disease. The serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 were statistically significantly higher in the patients with BD than in the control groups (p < 0.05). A significant relationship was also observed between the disease activity, and both the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.05). The mean serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in patients with active disease were 0.07 0.25 pg/ml and 36.0 30.5 pg/ml, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between the disease activity and the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 (p > 0.05). There were also statistically significant relationships between the disease activity and uveitis, retinal vasculitis or superficial thrombophlebitis. Conclusion: No relationship was found between BD and serum levels of the IL-17 and the IL-23.