Figure 1

Box chart for serum levels of IL-33 (A), sST2 (B), and IL-33/sST2 ratio (C). Circulating IL-33 and sST2 were significantly increased in CHF patients whereas IL-33/sST2 ratios were decreased. Blood samples were obtained from healthy controls (HC, n = 177), cardiac-disease patients without CHF (non-CHF patients, n =175) and CHF patients (CHF patients, n = 191). Data are expressed as minima, quartiles, and maxima. Statistical analyses were done using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post-hoc test for multiple comparisons. The dotted line denotes the sensitivity of the ELISA kits. Abbreviations are the same as those shown in Table 1.