Cytokine profile in Egyptian hepatitis C virus genotype-4 in relation to liver disease progression

Table 1 Clinical features of study groups

Variables	HCC (n = 33)	CLD (n = 20)	ASC (n = 20)	NC (n = 20)	P
Age (mean±SD)	55.3±10.1	63.3±8.3	34±7.7	31.7±11.8
Gender (M/F)	27/6	14/6	14/6	12/8
Liver state:
Cirrhosis	30 (91%)	14 (70%)	0	0	0.05
Irregular surface	30 (91%)	12 (60%)	0	0	0.007
Ascites	13 (39.4%)	11 (55%)	0	0	0.27
Jaundice	27 (81.8%)	8 (40%)	0	0	0.002
LL edema1	19 (57.6%)	11 (55%)	0	0	0.85
Megaly	33 (100%)	19 (95%)	0	0	0.38
Spleenomegaly	19 (57.6%)	13 (65%)	0	0	0.59
Schistosomal-Ab	18 (54.5%)	13 (65%)	14 (70%)	1 (5%)	0.45
HCV-Ab	31 (93.9%)	15 (75%)	20 (100%)	1 (5%)	0.05
HBsAg	3 (9%)	6 (30%)	4 (20%)	0	0.05
HCV-RNA	22 (66.7%)	14 (70%)	20 (100%)	0	0.8
Liver function tests
ALT (mean±SD)	67.2±43.3	48±33.1	27.2±(7.0)	25.3±(4.2)	0.06
AST (mean±SD)	126.4±57.4	83.6±54.1	26.1±(5.0)	19.1±(5.0)	0.006
Alk ph (mean±SD)	260.4±193.4	221±126.7	70±26.1	65±24.2	0.414
Bil (mean±SD)	2.28±2.1	2.02±1.9	1.0±0.2	0.9±0.1	0.34

¹LL edema: lower limb edema. P<0.05 difference is statistically significant.

Table 2 Serum levels of cytokines in the study groups (mean±SD)

Cytokine	HCC (n = 33)	CLD(n = 20)	ASC(n = 20)	NC(n = 20)	P
IL-2	3.07±0.01	3.07±0.005	3.07±0.009	3.08±0.004	>0.05
Cut-off=3.087 pg/mL
Number of positive cases	1 (3%)	0	6 (30%)	0
IL-2R	16.67±5.44	16.28±5.28	3.42±1.85	1.39±1.09	<0.001
Cut-off=3.5 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	30 (91%)	16 (80%)	9 (45%)	1 (5%)
IL-6	4.71±2.49	5.2±1.68	6.4±1.9	4.82±2.62	0.032
Cut-off=10.06 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	1 (3%)	0	1 (5%)	1 (5%)
IL-6R	56.48±17.97	54.47±16.72	54.13±16.35	19.62±5.52	<0.001
Cut-off=30.65 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	29 (88%)	19 (95%)	17 (85%)	0
IL-10	9±26.07	6.59±7.57	3.96±2.24	3.13±0.79	>0.05
Cut-off=4.71 pg/mL
Number of positive cases	9 (31%)	8 (40%)	3 (15%)	0
TNF-α	4.77±3.2	5.53±1.9	811±5.8	58±196	<0.001
Cut-off=17.2 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	0	0	20 (100%)	1 (5%)
TNF-α RI	1.27±0.98	1.87±1.50	0.56±0.23	0.29±0.16	<0.001
Cut-off=0.599 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	24 (72%)	16 (80%)	7 (35%)	1 (5%)
TNF-α RII	7.89±3.57	9.16±4.26	3.42±1.72	2.17±1.29	<0.001
Cut-off=4.74 ng/mL
Number of positive cases	25 (81%)	17 (85%)	4 (20%)	0

¹Cut-off=mean±2 SD of non-cancer controls. P<0.05 difference is statistically significant.