THE LEVELS OF IL-4 AND IL-8 IN SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GASTRITIS AND ULCERATIVE DISEASE OF STOMACH AND DUODENUM

Abstract

Local inflammation in H. pylori infection is characterized by infiltration of the gastric mucosa by neutrophils and specific lymphocytes, an increase in the production of immunoregulatory, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. IL-4 is the most important regulatory cytokine that plays a role in a huge number of immune and non-immune functions. IL-8 is a potent angiogenic factor and chemoattractant, its presence in the circulation can have a systemic pro-inflammatory effect on the body. IL-4 and IL-8 in H. pylori infection has been studied insufficiently. The goal is to establish serum levels of IL-4 and IL-8 in patients with chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Materials and methods. 95 patients of the gastroenterological department were examined, of them 37 men and 58 women (mean age 59 years): 53 patients diagnosed with chronic active gastritis (CAG, including erosive gastroduodenitis) and 42 patients diagnosed with peptic ulcer (PU). Patients were conditionally divided into 4 subgroups: PU (without confirming the presence in patients with Hp according to generally accepted methods), PU + Hp (patients with the presence of Hp), CAG and CAG + Hp. Results. An increase in serum IL-4 levels (above 10 pg / ml) was observed in only 50.7% of patients, with approximately the same frequency in patients with CAG and PU, and an increase in serum IL-8 levels (above 0.062 ng / ml) - in most patients (90%), and the highest levels of IL8 were detected in patients with PU + Hp. In the first analysis, 31% of patients had elevated levels of IL-8 in the absence of IL-4, while in the second analysis - already 62% of patients (p ≤ 0.01). This indicated a sharp twofold decrease in the production of IL-4 in just a few days between the two analyzes. Conclusion. Considering that an increase in serum levels of IL-8 is found in a larger number of patients than IL-4, which, moreover, ceases to be detected in serum, it can be assumed that the production and anti-inflammatory effect of IL-4 are insufficient in some patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Against this background, elevated levels of IL-8 can help maintain inflammation in a significant number of patients, as well as reduce the effectiveness of eradication therapy.