Open AccessSerum concentrations of cytokines in patients with active tuberculosis (TB) and after treatment
Author(s) -
Annelies Verbon,
Nicole P. Juffermans,
S. J. H. Van Deventer,
Peter Speelman,
H. van Deutekom,
Tom van der Poll
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.1999.00783.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tuberculosis , immunology , cytokine , anorexia , malaise , interferon gamma , gastroenterology , pathology
During TB cytokines play a role in host defence. To determine the cytokine pattern during various disease stages of TB, serum levels of IL‐12, interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), IL‐4, IL‐6 and IL‐10 were measured in 81 patients with active TB, 15 patients during therapy and 26 patients after anti‐tuberculous therapy as well as in 16 persons who had been in close contact with smear‐positive TB and in 17 healthy controls. IFN‐γ was elevated during active TB when compared with healthy controls, declining during and after treatment. IL‐12 (p40 and p70) serum levels were not significantly higher in patients with active TB compared with any of the other groups. IL‐4 levels were low in all groups. IL‐6 and IL‐10 serum levels were elevated in patients with active TB and during treatment. In patients with active TB serum levels of IFN‐γ and IL‐6 were higher in patients with fever, anorexia and malaise. IL‐12 levels were higher in patients with a positive smear. Cytokine levels did not correlate with localization of TB (pulmonary versus extrapulmonary), or skin test positivity. Cytokines directing a Th1 response (IL‐12) or a Th2 response (IL‐4) were not elevated in sera of this large group of patients with pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. In patients with active TB, cytokines that were elevated in serum were IFN‐γ, IL‐6 and IL‐10.