Objective To explore the relationship of serum interleukin-33 (IL-33) and carotid atherosclerosis
plaque vulnerability.
Methods According the result of carotid artery ultrasound, patients with ischemic stroke were
divided to vulnerable plaque group, stable plaques group and non-plaque group. The clinical data
were compared among groups. Logistic dichotomy regression analysis was used to analyze the
influential factors for plaque stability of carotid arthrosclerosis. Pearson correlation analysis was
used to analyze the correlation between serum IL-33 and related factors.
Results A total of 133 patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled into study, among which, there
were 52 cases of vulnerable plaque, 45 cases of stable plaques and 36 cases of non-plaque. There
were significant difference in age, 2 h plasma glucose (2 h PG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), intimamedia
thickness (IMT) and level of serum IL-33. The age, 2 h PG, HbA1c, IMT of non-plaque group
were lower than that of vulnerable plaque group and stable plaques group, and the serum IL-33 of
non-plaque group was higher than that of vulnerable plaque group and stable plaques group. Logistic
regression analysis result showed that relatively higher age, 2 h PG, HbA1c, IMT and relatively lower
IL-33 were independent risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis vulnerable plaque. Pearson correlation
analysis result showed that, serum IL-33 level negatively correlated with IMT (r =-0.336, P =0.000),
and had no correlation with age, 2 h PG and HbA1C.
Conclusion Serum IL-33 can effectively response the carotid atherosclerosis plaque instability, is a reliable serological index for clinical prediction of vulnerable plaques.
