Evaluation of IL-17/IL-23 Axis in Iraqi Patients with Essential Hypertension

Authors

• Fatima Jalal Ayez, Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al- Diwaniyah, IraqFollow
• Manal Mohammed Kadhim, Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al- Diwaniyah, IraqFollow

Abstract

Background: Essential hypertension is a multifactorial disorder and a major global public health concern. Emerging evidence suggests that chronic low-grade inflammation plays a key role in its pathogenesis. The interleukin-17/interleukin-23 (IL-17/IL-23) axis has been identified as a critical inflammatory pathway linking immune activation to vascular dysfunction and elevated blood pressure. Aim of study: Evaluate the IL-17/IL-23 axis including the levels of IL-17A and IL-23 in patients with essential hypertension and to investigate their potential role as inflammatory biomarkers. Patients, Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate, Iraq, from October 2025 to February 2026. The study included 50 patients clinically diagnosed with essential hypertension, aged 36–63 years (26 males and 24 females), and 50 age-matched healthy controls, aged 30–60 years (28 man and 22 woman). The duration of hypertension among patients was less than 5 years in 28 patients (56.0%) and more than 5 years in 22 patients (44.0%). Serum levels of IL-17A and IL-23 were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the studied biomarker. Results: Serum levels of IL-17A and IL-23 were significantly elevated in patients with essential hypertension compared to healthy controls (P = 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed high diagnostic accuracy for both IL-17A and IL-23. A positive correlation was seen between IL-17A and IL-23 levels in hypertensive patients, may reflect an integrated mechanism and highlight the potential role of the IL-17/IL-23 axis in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Conclusion: IL-17/IL-23 inflammatory axis may play role in essential hypertension disease. These cytokines may serve as promising adjunctive biomarkers.

Article Type

Article

First Page

55

Last Page

62

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Ayez, Fatima Jalal and Kadhim, Manal Mohammed (2026) "Evaluation of IL-17/IL-23 Axis in Iraqi Patients with Essential Hypertension," Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal: Vol. 22: Iss. 1, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.28922/2312-7864.1707