It is important to assess the temporal reproducibility of circulating cytokines for their utility in epidemiological studies. However, existing evidence is limited and inconsistent, especially for the elderly population. Sixty-five elderly (mean age = 77.89 ± 6.14 years) subjects were randomly selected from an existing prospective cohort study. Levels of 41 cytokines in 195 serum samples, collected at three separate visits that were up to 15.26 years apart, were measured by the Luminex technology. The temporal reproducibility of cytokines was estimated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) calculated using a mixed-effects model. In addition, data analyses were stratified by the median (4.49 years) of time intervals across sample collection. Sensitivity analyses were performed when excluding subjects with undetectable samples. A total of 23 cytokines were detectable in more than 60% of samples. Fair to good (ICC = 0.40 to 0.75) and excellent (ICC > 0.75) reproducibility was found in 10 (Eotaxin, VEGF, FGF-2, G-CSF, MDC, GM-CSF, TGFα, IP-10, MIP-1β, IL-1RA) and 5 (GRO, IFNγ, IL-17, PDGF-AA, IL-4) cytokines, respectively. The results were not changed dramatically in the stratification and sensitivity analyses. Serum levels of the selected 15 cytokines measured with Luminex technology displayed fair to excellent within-person temporal reproducibility among elderly population.

中文翻译：

---

老年人群中血清细胞因子的重现性

评估循环细胞因子在流行病学研究中的效用的时间重现性非常重要。然而，现有证据有限且不一致，尤其是对于老年人口。从现有的前瞻性队列研究中随机选择了 65 名老年人（平均年龄 = 77.89 ± 6.14 岁）。通过 Luminex 技术测量了 195 份血清样本中 41 种细胞因子的水平，这些样本是在相隔长达 15.26 年的三次单独访问中收集的。通过使用混合效应模型计算的组内相关系数 (ICC) 估计细胞因子的时间重现性。此外，数据分析按样本收集时间间隔的中位数（4.49 年）进行分层。当排除具有不可检测样本的受试者时进行敏感性分析。在超过 60% 的样本中可检测到总共 23 种细胞因子。在 10 个（Eotaxin、VEGF、FGF-2、G-CSF、MDC、GM-CSF、TGFα、IP-10、MIP-1β , IL-1RA) 和 5 (GRO, IFNγ, IL-17, PDGF-AA, IL-4) 细胞因子，分别。结果在分层和敏感性分析中没有显着变化。使用 Luminex 技术测量的选定 15 种细胞因子的血清水平在老年人群中显示出相当至优异的人体内时间再现性。结果在分层和敏感性分析中没有显着变化。使用 Luminex 技术测量的选定 15 种细胞因子的血清水平在老年人群中显示出相当至优异的人体内时间再现性。结果在分层和敏感性分析中没有显着变化。使用 Luminex 技术测量的选定 15 种细胞因子的血清水平在老年人群中显示出相当至优异的人体内时间再现性。