Comparison of the serum level of interleukin‐4 in patients with brucellosis and healthy controls

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of cytokines such as interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) can be an important tool in examining immune responses to brucellosis. Also, determining the response rate to treatment is necessary for controlling and eradicating of disease. The review of previous studies reveals contradictory results that require further research in this regard. The aim of this study was to compare the serum level of IL‐4 in patients with brucellosis and healthy controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this descriptive‐analytical study for comparison of two groups, a total of 165 participants, including 83 patients with brucellosis and 82 non‐infected people, were evaluated after matching of sex and age in Hamadan (northwest of Iran) in 2017 and the serum level of IL‐4 was compared by ELISA method. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 21 at 95% significant level. RESULTS: Mean of age in the case and control groups were 50.25 ± 16.01 and 43.26 ± 15.6 years, respectively. The serum levels of IL‐4 in the case and control groups were 1.42 ± 0.51 pg/mL and 1.31 ± 1.02 pg/mL, respectively. Based on the non‐parametric Mann‐Whitney test, the IL‐4 level was significantly higher in the case group, compared with the control (P < .001), but no statistically significant relationship was found between serum levels of IL‐4 with age, sex, and serologic titers of Wright and 2ME. CONCLUSION: In patients with brucellosis, the level of IL‐4 increases independently of the duration and severity of the disease, which indicates the role of this cytokine of immune system in this infectious disease.