Assessment of gender differences in some inflammatory cytokines of tuberculosis patients before and during treatment

Afr Health Sci. 2023 Sep;23(3):336-342. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v23i3.40.

Abstract

Background: Gender variation is a feature of many physiological parameters including inflammatory cytokines. Inflammation is an obvious feature of Tuberculosis (TB) infection with changes in pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Objective: To compare the levels of inflammatory cytokines between male and female TB patients before treatment, after 2-months and after 6-months anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Materials and methods: A total of 35 males and 25 females TB subjects were enlisted before initiation of therapy and followed up after 2-months and 6 months treatment and samples collected and analysed. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 10 (IL-10, Interleukin -6 (IL-6), Interleukin-2 (IL-2), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) were assayed by ELISA method.

Results: Before treatment, the median level of IL-6 (pg/ml) was significantly higher in males compared to female TB patients (P=0.046). While after 2-months treatment, TNF-α (pg/ml) and IL-10 (pg/ml) was significantly higher in males compared with females (P=0.008 and 0.045 respectively). Conversely, the median IL-6 (pg/ml) was significantly higher in female TB patients compared to the males (P=0.042). No significant differences were observed after 6-months treatment.

Conclusion: Gender differences exist in IL-6 before treatment and in IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 at two months treatment. Thus, TB treatment contributes differentially to levels of inflammatory cytokines in male and female TB patients.

Keywords: Tuberculosis; anti-tuberculosis drugs; cytokines; inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Cytokines
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interleukin-6
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
  • Sex Factors
  • Tuberculosis* / drug therapy
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-10
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-6