| Objective To investigate the mechanisms of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and provide the theory basis of artheroslerosis (AS) development by characterizing the relationships between carotid artery IMT and the serum levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 18.Methods Carotid artery IMT values were prospectively measured using color Doppler ultrasound in forty transient ischemia attack (TIA) patients and sixty-four acute cerebral infarct (ACI) patients, who constitute the study group, as well as in thirty heath vulenteers whose IMT lower than 1.0 mm as control group. The two study group were divided into two subgroups according to IMT larger or lower th an 1.0 mm. Serum IL-6, IL-18 levels were determined in all patients and vulentee rs with radioimmunoassay (RIA)and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively.Results There were significant differences in IL-6 and IL-18 levels between study group and control group (P＜0.05 and 0.01, respectively). The IL-6 and IL-18 levels between IMT≥1.0 mm and IMT＜1.0 mm subgroups in the study group both had statistic, differences (P＜0.05), no difference was found between study group and control group when IMT＜1.0mm in study group. The levels of serum I L-18 levels were positively correlated with IMT values in study group (Pearson correlation coefficients r=0.549, P=0.000), while IL-6 levels were not (P=0.057).Conclusion Increased serum IL-6, IL-18 levels in TIA and ACI patients may contribute to the development of AS. Serum IL-18 levels are positively correlated with carotid artery IMT, no correlation between serum IL-6 levels and IMT.
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