MEASURING OF SERUM LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN- 1-BETA IN SLE PATIENTS WITHRHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

The enzyme immunoassay determined serum levels of interleukin-1beta (I L-1beta) in 35 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 18 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. In high activity of both SLE and RA as well as in the presence of fever, anemia, marked skin vasculitis IL-1beta rose high, still higher levels being reported in patients wi th erosive joints compared to those in RA patients with initial stage of RA. Lower IL-1beta content often marked nephropathy in both the dis eases. Corticosteroids and cytostatics resulted in IL-1beta fall which was also established in 9 SLE and 3 RA patients in parallel with inhi bition of the process activity.