Abstract
BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff injury (RCI) can be caused by local inflammation and fibrosis of musculotendinous cuff. Here, we investigated the diagnostic role of IL-1 family cytokines in predicting disease severity and pain of RCI. METHODS: This study included 48 patients with RCI. Seven interleukin-1 (IL-1) family members (including IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, IL-37, IL-38) in the shoulder joint synovial fluid were measured by ELISA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of IL-1 family cytokines for RCT. Correlations between IL-1 family cytokines and RCT severity, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and functional scores were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. RESULTS: Higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33 were found in more severe tear groups than those in the small tear group, while IL-1Ra was reduced in the massive tear group. IL-33 demonstrated strong diagnostic potential of severity (AUC = 0.7229, 95 % CI: 0.5773-0.8685, P = 0.0083). The levels of IL-1α, IL-18, and IL-33 were positively correlated with preoperative VAS scores (p < 0.01), while IL-1Ra levels were negatively associated with preoperative VAS scores. IL-1α (AUC = 0.7684), IL-1Ra (AUC = 0.7724), IL-18 (AUC = 0.7762), and IL-33 (AUC = 0.8330) had strong diagnostic potential of preoperative pain. IL-1α, IL-18, IL-37, and IL-38 were negatively associated with postoperative ASES scores and UCLA scores. IL-33 was negatively associated with preoperative ASES scores (r = -0.3577, p = 0.0126), and postoperative UCLA scores (r = -0.7242, p < 0.0001). IL-1Ra had positive associations with postoperative ASES scores and UCLA scores. IL-1Ra had negative associations with IL-1α and IL-33, while IL-33 was positively associated with IL-1α and IL-18. CONCLUSION: IL-1 family cytokines, including IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-18, and IL-33, are promising diagnostic biomarkers for RCI, with close associations with the degree of pain and postoperative functional recovery.