The following is a summary of “Interleukin-16 is increased in dialysis patients but is not a cardiovascular risk factor,” published in the May 2024 issue of Nephrology by Brösecke et al.

Oxalate, a toxin that builds up in patients undergoing dialysis, is linked to heart diseases as oxalate crystals can trigger immune cells.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating whether plasma oxalate levels are correlated with cytokine concentrations and cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing dialysis.

They studied 104 U.S. patients who needed dialysis (cohort 1) and measured 21 inflammatory markers. IL-16 was the only cytokine that correlated with oxalate. Correlation between IL-16 levels and mortality and heart events was observed in the 4D cohort (1,255 patients, cohort 2), and associations of IL-16 with other uremic toxins in this larger group were assessed.

The results showed that IL-16 levels were positively correlated with pOx concentrations (P= 0.39 in cohort 1, r = 0.35 in cohort 2) and were higher in patients undergoing dialysis than in healthy people. However, no significant link between IL-16 levels and heart problems or death was found in the 4D cohort.

Investigators concluded that IL-16 correlates with plasma oxalate levels and is significantly elevated in patients undergoing dialysis. However, there was no link between IL-16 levels and cardiovascular disease in the 4D cohort.

Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-024-61808-7