Zytokin profiles in familial Mediterranean fever patients: IL-18 as a major cytokine and potential biomarker or target.

Familial Mediterranean fever(FMF) is an autoinflammatory disease which is characterized by recurrent episodes of typical attacks with fever and abdominal pain. The pathophysiology shows an ineffective pyrin which leads to brakeless inflammation. It is not exactly known which factors lead to initiation of the attacks. Furthermore there seems to be sustained inflammation between the attacks. IL-18 is acytokinethat belongs to theIL-1superfamily and is produced bymacrophagesand other cells. It plays an important role in the initiation and maturation of the inflammasomeand is therefore able to induce severeinflammatory reactions.