@article{8718,
  keywords = {Case-Control Studies, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein, Interleukin-1beta, leprosy, Longitudinal studies, Male, Middle Aged, ROC Curve},
  author = {Costa RD and Mendonça VA and Lyon S and Penido RA and Costa AMDD and Costa MD and Nishi MP and Teixeira MM and Teixeira AL and Antunes CMF},
  title = {Evaluation of the expression of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in leprosy patients.},
  abstract = {<p>Leprosy is an infectious and contagious spectral disease accompanied by a series of immunological events triggered by the host's response to the etiologic agent, Mycobacterium leprae. Evidence suggests that the induction and maintenance of the immune/inflammatory response in leprosy are linked to multiple cell interactions and soluble factors, mainly through the action of cytokines. The ELISA test was used to measure the levels of IL-1beta and IL-1Ra in 37 new leprosy patients followed-up during treatment and 30 healthy controls. Peripheral blood was collected four times during the treatment of leprosy patients (MDT pretreatment, 2nd dose, 6th dose and post-MDT), and only once from the controls. The comparison of molecular levels in pre-MDT patients and controls showed a statistically significant difference for IL-1beta. The results suggest the participation of this cytokine in the genesis of the immune/inflammatory process.</p>},
  year = {2008},
  journal = {Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical},
  volume = {41 Suppl 2},
  pages = {99-103},
  month = {2008},
  issn = {1678-9849},
  doi = {10.1590/s0037-86822008000700020},
  language = {eng},
}