Changes and its significance of the levels of serum soluble CD40L and interleukin-18 in cerebral infarction patients

Objective To observed the changes and its significance of the levels of serum soluble CD40L ligand(sCD40L) and interleukin-18(IL-18) in cerebral infarction patients.Methods The levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in 40 lacunar infarction patients(lacunar infarction group),40 cerebral infarction patients(cerebral infarction group) and 38 normal controls(NC group) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.All of the patients were also received carotid artery ultrasound examination and United States National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS) score.Results Compared with NC group,the levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in lacunar infarction group and cerebral infarction group were significantly increased(all P0.01);and those in cerebral infarction group were significantly higher than those in lacunar infarction group(all P0.01).The levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in medium and severe cerebral infarction patients were significantly higher than NC group and mild cerebral infarction patients(P0.05-0.01).Compared with normal endometrium patients,the levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in patients with stable plaque and unstable plaque were significantly increased(all P0.01),the levels of serum IL-18 in intimal thickening patients were significantly increased(P0.05).Compared with intimal thickening patients,the levels of serum sCD40L in patients with stable plaque and the levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in patients with unstable plaques were significantly increased(all P0.01).There was a positive correlation between the levels of serum sCD40L and IL-18 in cerebral infarction patients(r=0.729,P0.01).Conclusion The levels of serum sCD40L,IL-18 in cerebral infarction patients are significantly increased,which can reflect the severity of carotid atherosclerosis and the condition of cerebral infarction.