Levels of Serum Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor in Postsplenectomized Thalassemic Patients
SUPORN CHUNCHARUNEE, M.D.*, PHONGJAN HATHIRAT, M.D.***, NAPAPORN ARCHARARIT, M.Sc.**, UMAPORN UDOMSUBPAYAKUL, M.Sc. **, VICHAI ATICHARTAKARN,M.D.*
Affiliation : * Department of Medicine, ** Research Center, * * * Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Abstract Levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) were studied in 34 nonsplenectomized thalassemic patients (Thal/nonsplenec ), 43 postsplenectomized tha- lassemic patients (Thal/postsplenec ), 13 splenectomized non-thalassemic patients (non Thall postsplenec) and 18 normal control by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. Serum IL-6 concentration in Thal/postsplenec was significantly increased when compared with Thall nonsplenec and normal volunteers (3.55±2.47 pg/ml vs 2.38±2.31 pg/ml, p=0.036 and 3.55±2.47 pg/ml vs 2.66±0.45 pg/ml, p=0.028, respectively). This study also demonstrated that TNF-a value in Thal/postsplenec was drastically increased above normal control level (15.8±4.86 pg/ml vs 9.16±2.18 pg/ml, p=O.OOl) and the level was statistically significantly higher than that in Thai/ nonsplenec (15.5±4.86 pg/ml vs 9.96±5.19 pg/ml, p=O.OOl). There was a trend toward increasing of cytokine levels in Thal/postsplenec with higher platelet count although no correlation was observed. This study addresses the possible role of IL-6 and TNF-a in the pathogenesis of reactive thrombocytosis in Thal/postsplenec.
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