Anti-inflammatory response of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Abstract

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an inflammatory process seen in association with a large number of clinical infective and noninfective conditions.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin–4 (IL–4), interleukin–10 (IL–10), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Serum levels of IL–4, IL–10 and TGF-β were determined in 45 patients with SIRS: 38 patients had SIRS of infectious origin, whereas seven patients had non-infectious SIRS. Twenty healthy subjects were used as controls.Serum levels of IL–4, IL–10 and TGFg were determined by an immunoenzyme assay. A significant increase of IL–4 was observed in these patients at the time of diagnosis and 5 days later. In contrast, serum levels of IL–10 were not increased at the time of diagnosis, but a slight decrease was noted after 5 days. Serum levels of TGF-β were not increased at time of diagnosis, and a slight increase was observed after 5 days. Serum levels of IL–4 were significantly higher in patients with infectious SIRS at the time of diagnosis, whereas no significant difference between infectious and non-infectious SIRS was noted for serum levels of IL–10 and TGF-β at the time of diagnosis and 5 days later.During SIRS, serum levels of IL–4 were significantly increased with a significant correlation between IL–4 and mortality, and only levels of IL–4 were significantly increased in the SIRS caused by infectious stimuli.