The Relationship Between Serum Interleukin-1α and Asymptomatic Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Size, Morphology, and Growth Rates

Abstract

In a pilot study, a relationship between abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) diameter and serum interleukin (IL)-1α levels was reported, and that endothelial cell (EC) activation invitro in response to serum from patients with AAA was blocked by anti-IL-1α antibodies. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the relationship between serum IL-1α and asymptomatic infrarenal AAA size, morphology, and growth rates. Serum IL-1α was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 101 patients with asymptomatic, infrarenal AAA and related to aneurysm size, morphology, and growth rates. IL-1α was measured in 101 patients. There was no statistically significant difference in mean age between men and women. IL-1α was detectable in 62.4% of patients; median IL-1α titre was 3.26pg/mL. There was no statistically significant relationship between IL-1α and maximum AAA antero-posterior diameter as measured by ultrasound (p=.649), AAA morphology (aortic length [p=.394], sac [p=.369], and thrombus volume [p=.629]) as measured on computed tomography, absolute increase in AAA diameter (p=.214), or AAA growth rate (p=.230). IL-1α is detectable in the majority of patients with infrarenal AAA, but the cause and clinical significance of this novel observation remains unknown.