BACKGROUND: In this study we investigated whether plasma level of IL-2or sIL-2R shows the clinical disease status.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R weremeasured by ELISA in 23 patients with limited scleroderma (1SSc-acrosclerosis) and compared with 12 healthywomen.
RESULTS: Plasma levels of sIL-2R in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement(3446.1 +/- 1329.7 pg/ml) were significantly higher compared with those with minimal internal organsinvolvement (1606.4 +/- 507.3 pg/ml). Plasma level of IL-2 in the group of patients with severe internalorgans involvement (8.12 +/- 7.77 pg/ml) did not differ much from that of the patients with minimal internalorgans involvement (7.42 +/- 9.28 pg/ml). Treatment with pentoxyfilline did not influence the plasmalevels of IL-2 and sIL-2R.
CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that elevated plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R aremarkers of internal organ involvement in scleroderma.

Keywords: visceral involvement, IL-2, sIL-2R plasma, limited scleroderma