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Lower serum levels of IL-13 is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in old age subjects

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Abstract

Background

Cardiovascular diseases due to atherosclerosis represent the major cause of disability and mortality in old age subjects. The atherosclerotic process is linked to a low grade of systemic inflammation with the involvement of many cytokines and inflammatory proteins. Among them, evidence from animal studies suggests that IL-13 has a protective property. However, the role of IL-13 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in humans is still unknown.

Aims

With this study, we aim to investigate a potential association between IL-13 and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in old age subjects.

Methods

This is a retrospective study conducted among 79 old age subjects (over 75 years old). All subjects underwent IMT assessment by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography and IL-13 measurement in serum by ELISA.

Results

Subjects (41 M/38F) had a mean age of 81.0 ± 4.5 years and were mostly overweight. Stratifying the whole cohort by IMT thickness (IMT ≤ 0.9, n = 17; IMT ≥ 1 and ≤ 1.3, n = 50; IMT ≥ 1.4, n = 12) among the main variables explored, only BMI and triglycerides differed among groups, having subjects with higher IMT significantly higher BMI and lower triglycerides. Serum IL-13 levels significantly differed among groups having subjects with IMT ≥ 1.4 lower levels as compared to other groups (p < 0.0001). In all sample population, IMT values significantly correlate with IL-13 levels (r = − 0.454, p < 0.0001). Indeed, a linear regression analysis showed that independent of age, gender, body mass index, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, statin use and smoking habit, lower IL-13 serum levels were associated with higher IMT values.

Conclusions

IL-13, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, may have a protective role in the human atherosclerotic process. It could be used as an effective and promising novel therapeutic target development.

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Funding

This project was supported by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia (cod: 2017.0278.021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Santa Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy

    Virginia Boccardi, Lucia Paolacci, Michele Francesco Croce, Marta Baroni, Sara Ercolani, Roberta Cecchetti & Patrizia Mecocci

  2. Department of Clinical Pathology, Santa Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy

    Alfredo Villa

Authors
  1. Virginia Boccardi
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  2. Lucia Paolacci
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  3. Michele Francesco Croce
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  4. Marta Baroni
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  5. Sara Ercolani
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  6. Roberta Cecchetti
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  7. Alfredo Villa
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  8. Patrizia Mecocci
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Virginia Boccardi.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Statement of human and animal rights

The study is carried in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments and with the ethical standards of the institutional ethics committee, and was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy (INFStudy, Registry CEAS N: 3097/17).

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All subjects provided written informed consent to participate in the study.

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Boccardi, V., Paolacci, L., Croce, M.F. et al. Lower serum levels of IL-13 is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in old age subjects. Aging Clin Exp Res 32, 1289–1294 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01313-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01313-4

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