Background: In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the imbalance between cytokines pro- and antinflammatory is observed. The aim of this study was the assessment of interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration usefulness in the evaluation of the activity of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Cohn’s disease (CD).
Methods: 35 patients diagnosed with UC and 39 with CD were examined. The control group (CG) consisted of 35 healthy volunteers. Diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by videocolonoscopy and histopathological evaluation of intestinal biopsies. Disease activity of UC was assessed according to the Mayo Scoring System and by the Crohn Disease Activiti Index (CDAI) in CD patients. Among patients with UC 18 (51%) had severe, 14 (40%) moderate and 3 (9%) mild disease. Among patients with CD 7 (18%) was diagnosed with high, 27 (69%) moderate, and 5 (13%) with low activity of the disease. WBC, PLT, serum concentration of TNF-α, IL-6 i IL-10 were determined.
Results: The average concentration of TNF-α in UC patients was: 14.3 (IQR=12.6), in CD: 12.6 (IQR=11.9), in the CG: 3.1 (IQR=1.7). The average concentration of IL-6 in UC was: 19.6 (IQR=21), in CD: 10.8 (IQR=7.6), in CG : 3.2 (IQR=1.6). The average concentration of IL-10 in UC was: 14.4 (IQR=5.9), in CD: 10.4 (IQR=9.3), in the CG: 3.3 (IQR=2.5). In the IBD TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 concentration was significantly higher than in CG. However, IL-10 was significantly higher in UC than CD. In patients with UC statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 and disease activity was noticed. There were no correlation between TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 concentration and CD activity.
Conclusion: Determination of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 serum concentration can be used for noninvasive evaluation of inflammation activity in patients with IBD. IL-10 concentration may be helpful in differentiation of UC and CD.