Background and objective: The atherosclerotic arterial injuries lead to many life threatening vascular incidents. It has been well documented that inflammatory processes play an important role in atherogenesis. Intensive studies are undertaken to find a serum marker of inflammatory reaction correlated with arterial injuries.
Methods: In our study we measured the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with dyslipidemia IIa and IIb biochemically confirmed. Control estimations were done in age-matched group. Arterial injuries were evaluated as a thickening of complex intima-media in common carotid arteries by means of Doppler ultrasonography.
Results: Levels of IL-6 were significantly higher in both groups of patients with dyslipidemia as compared with the healthy control persons (IIa vs control p<0.001, IIb vs control p<0.001). The plasma level of IL-6 is significantly correlated to intima-media complex thickness (r=0.68, p<0.0001).
Conclusion: We conclude that increase of serum concentration of IL-6 may be related to arterial wall injuries in the course of the most atherogenic lipid disorders.