title: Increased soluble IL-2 receptor levels in HCV-infected haemophiliacs: a possible indicator of liver disease severity.
abstract: We have measured sIL-2R in 60 haemophiliacs and 20 male control subjects. Haemophiliacs were grouped according to their HIV/HCV antibody status. Group 1 (n = 20) comprised HIV + ve/HCV + ve, group 2 (n = 27) HIV - ve/HCV + ve and group 3 (n = 13) HIV - ve/HCV - ve. Group 4 comprised the normal control subjects. We also examined, retrospectively, the relationship between the severity of chronic liver disease, assessed histologically, and sIL-2R levels in selected patients. There was no significant difference between sIL-2R levels of the group 1 and group 2 patients, and the levels for both were significantly greater than those of either the group 3 patients or the control subjects. sIL-2 levels were also higher in selected patients with cirrhosis than in those with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) or chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH). We conclude that in haemophiliacs, chronic HCV-related liver disease is associated with increased plasma levels of sIL-2R and that the degree of elevation may reflect the severity of the associated chronic liver disease.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Haematology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ralph
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2