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Evaluation of interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐10 in lung transplant patients with human cytomegalovirus infection
Author(s) -
ZedtwitzLiebenstein Konstantin,
Jaksch Peter,
Burgmann Heinz,
Friehs Helmut,
Hofbauer Roland,
Schellongowski Peter,
Frass Michael
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2009.01041.x
Subject(s) - human cytomegalovirus , medicine , bronchoalveolar lavage , immunology , cytomegalovirus , polymerase chain reaction , interleukin , lung transplantation , interleukin 10 , herpesviridae , lung , virology , cytokine , virus , viral disease , biology , gene , biochemistry
We hypothesized that interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) might serve as additional diagnostic parameter in lung transplant patients with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. Therefore, we compared IL‐6 levels in HCMV‐positive vs. HCMV‐negative patients. IL‐6 was measured by ELISA in plasma and BAL in 111 patients. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of IL‐10 on IL‐6 production in HCMV‐positive patients. For HCMV–DNA detection in plasma and BAL a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used. IL‐6 levels were significantly higher in the HCMV‐positive group (n = 39; BAL p = 0.045; plasma p = 0.017) in comparison to the HCMV‐negative group (n = 72). IL‐10 did not correlate with IL‐6 concentration (p = 0.146). Donor (D) or recipient (R) HCMV‐constellation did not influence IL‐6 concentration. IL‐6 levels were not influenced by elevated levels of HCMV copies. Our data suggest that IL‐6 does not serve as a good diagnostic parameter for existence of HCMV infection in lung transplant patients. Because of the wide range of the IL‐6 levels in both groups, we were not able to find a breakpoint differentiating between infected and not‐infected patients. Another important finding was that IL‐6 production is not dependent of the HCMV status of D/R.