Role of Pro-inflammatory IL-8 and Anti-inflammatory IL-10 Cytokines in Dengue Severity

During dengue infection, cytokine levels may increase as various cytokines are released from infected inflammatory cells. This study was conducted to measure the levels of cytokines IL-8 and IL-10 in dengue patients and correlate them with dengue severity. Material & Methods: A prospective study was conducted on febrile patients suspected of dengue fever, seeking medical care in our institute. 107 cases confirmed to have dengue fever (by NS1/ IgM ELISA) and 100 healthy individuals with age and sex matched, were included in the study. The clinical features of all patients were recorded, and cytokine levels of IL-8 and IL-10 were estimated by ELISA in the dengue patients and healthy controls. Results: Out of 400 febrile patients suspected of having dengue fever, 107 (26.75%) cases were confirmed cases, of which 56 (52.3%), 20 (18.7%), and 31 (29%) were positive for only NS1 antigen, only IgM antibody, and both NS1 and IgM, respectively. Depending on the severity of the disease, 9 (8.5%) cases were classified as severe dengue cases while 98 (91.5%) as non-severe dengue fever. Mean levels (pg/ml) for IL-8 were 281.6 ± 76.6, 150.41 ± 55.9 and 75.4 ± 49.2 in severe dengue, dengue fever, and healthy controls respectively while for IL-10, the values were 219.4 ± 150.5, 38.9 ± 67.2, and 6.6 ± 0.65 among severe dengue cases, dengue cases, and healthy controls, respectively. Conclusion: Mean level of cytokines IL-8 and IL-10 were significantly raised in severe dengue patients as compared to non-severe dengue patients and healthy controls, suggesting their role in causing severe disease and as a potential predictor for disease severity and fatal outcome.