title: Increased plasma interleukin-8 concentrations in alcoholic hepatitis.
abstract: Patients with alcoholic hepatitis often have hepatic polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and neutrophilia. Interleukin-8 is a cytokine that stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis and release of lysosomal enzymes. It is made by several types of cells, including fibroblasts, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. In this study, serial plasma interleukin-8 concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 40 consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe alcoholic hepatitis over a 6-mo period. Two control groups included 10 patients without clinically important liver disease admitted for treatment of alcohol dependence and 12 healthy male volunteers. The mean plasma interleukin-8 level on admission was markedly increased: 695 +/- 146 pg/ml in the alcoholic hepatitis patients. The alcohol-dependent control group and the normal volunteer controls had mean interleukin-8 concentrations of 106 +/- 28 pg/ml and 10 +/- 5 pg/ml, respectively. Initially increased interleukin-8 levels in alcoholic hepatitis patients decreased to a mean of 182 +/- 42 pg/ml over the first month; levels had decreased further to 124 +/- 79 pg/ml after 6 mo. Increased interleukin-8 concentrations in patients with alcoholic hepatitis suggest a role for interleukin-8 in the neutrophilia and hepatic polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration of alcoholic hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Marsano
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McClain
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D012016:Reference Values; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012709:Serum Albumin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin