title: Elevated interleukin-2 receptor level in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and the changes following anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy.
abstract: Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) is a marker of T-lymphocyte activation. We have undertaken a study to examine the serum sIL-2R levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and the changes following anti-TB chemotherapy. Forty four patients with pulmonary TB or tuberculous pleural effusion were recruited. Serum was collected from the patients before and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months after initiation of anti-TB chemotherapy. Serum sIL-2R level was measured by an enzyme immunoassay. The mean sIL-2R level before treatment was 1,452 +/- 103 (SEM) U.ml-1, which was significantly higher than that of healthy control subjects (374 +/- 30 U.ml-1). There was no significant change in the sIL-2R level at 1 month, but there was a gradual reduction from the second month onwards. At the sixth month the mean sIL-2R level was 1080 +/- 81 U.ml-1, which was significantly lower than that before treatment. However, despite clinical improvement, the sIL-2R levels at the sixth month were still significantly higher than those of control subjects. We conclude that sIL-2R levels were elevated in patients with pulmonary TB and there was a gradual reduction following anti-TB chemotherapy. However, the sIL-2R levels were still higher than control subjects at completion of treatment, suggesting a delayed resolution of the inflammation in patients with pulmonary TB.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004654:Empyema, Tuberculous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2