Relationship between circulating interleukin-10 and histological features in patients with chronic C hepatitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An imbalance in cytokine production may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic C hepatitis. The aim of the study was to investigate circulating levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in a selected cohort of patients affected by chronic C hepatitis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective study based on consecutive hepatitis C virus patients, affected by chronic active hepatitis, attending the general hospital of hepatology unit from June to September 2009 PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 49 patients with chronic C hepatitis and 20 healthy control subjects similar in gender and age were examined. Circulating IL-10 was assessed by ELISA commercial kit (R and D Systems) in all investigated subjects. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IL-10 values between controls and overall patients (P>.05). Nevertheless, among patients, subjects with more severe necroinflammation had higher values than others (P<.001). Moreover, a close relationship was found between IL-10 values and serum aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.61; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that IL-10 may be a useful additional marker to assess necroinflammation and to monitor the evolution of liver damage. They also argue for a potential pathophysiological role for IL-10 in the persistence and progression of hepatitis.