Brief Reports
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 28, 2005; 11(4): 605-608
Published online Jan 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i4.605
Plasma interleukin-18 reflects severity of ulcerative colitis
Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo, Robert Flisiak, Jerzy Jaroszewicz, Danuta Prokopowicz
Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo, Robert Flisiak, Jerzy Jaroszewicz, Danuta Prokopowicz, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intestinal Diseases Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia str. 14, 15-540 Bia硑stok, Poland
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Alicja Wiercinska-Drapalo, Department of Infectious Diseases, Intestinal Diseases Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia str. 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland. alicja@poczta.onet.pl
Telephone: +48-85-7416921 Fax: +48-85-7416921
Received: March 3, 2004
Revised: March 6, 2004
Accepted: April 29, 2004
Published online: January 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ulcerative colitis activity and plasma or mucosal concentrations of interleukin (IL)-18.

METHODS: Il-18 concentrations were measured in plasma and mucosal samples from 15 patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

RESULTS: The mean plasma concentration of IL-18 measured in all patients (422±88 pg/mL) doubled the mean value in healthy controls (206±32 pg/mL); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Plasma IL-18 levels revealed a significant positive correlation with scored endoscopic degree of mucosal injury, disease activity index, clinical activity index and C-reactive protein concentration. The mean concentration of plasma IL-18 was significantly higher in patients with severe ulcerative colitis (535±115 pg/mL) than in patients with mild ulcerative colitis (195±41 pg/mL), and in healthy controls. Although the mucosal mean IL-18 concentration in severe ulcerative colitis (2523±618 pg/mg protein) doubled values observed in mild one (1347±308 pg/mg protein), there was no statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSION: Plasma IL-18 can be considered as a surrogate marker helpful in evaluation of ulcerative colitis activity.

Keywords: Ulcerative colitis; Interleukin-18