Elevated serum levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-33 in patients with systemic sclerosis in Chinese population

Purpose of the study Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. Although the pathogenesis of the disease remains incompletely understood, some cytokines or growth factors which regulate SSc induction may be involved in the injury of endothelial cells and the modulation of leukocyte function. We aimed to perform this case–control study to determine serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-33 and their associations with clinical manifestations in SSc patients.