Evaluation of urinary IL-1alpha and IL-1beta in gravid females and patients with bacterial cystitis and microscopic hematuria.
OBJECTIVE
to determine IL-1alpha and IL-1beta levels in patients with bacterial cystitis, microscopic hematuria, and gravid females relative to a control group of normal subjects.


METHODS
enzyme immunoassays were used to measure concomitantly urinary IL-1alpha and IL-1beta in clean catch urine samples from normal subjects (n = 31) and study patients (n = 46). All normal subjects and patients underwent urinalysis, urine culture, and urine creatinine level determination. Since the IL-1alpha assay was developed for serum, the utility of the assay for urine specimens was unknown. The key parameters of urine collection, processing and sample storage for IL-1alpha were evaluated in detail.


RESULTS
mean values +/- SEM (pg/mg) for IL-1alpha/ Cr and IL-1beta/Cr were control group (0.25 +/- 0.10 and 0.17 +/- 0.06), bacterial cystitis (9.97 +/- 1.15 and 42.45 +/- 1.86), and microscopic hematuria (2.81 +/- 0.65 and 2.82 +/- 0.70). Differences in cytokine levels between the control group and patients with either bacterial cystitis or microscopic hematuria were statistically significant for both IL-1alpha/Cr (P < 0.026; P < 0.007, respectively) and IL-1beta /Cr (P < 0.0004; P < 0.014, respectively). IL-1beta/Cr correlates better with pyuria than IL-1alpha/ Cr (P = 0.02 vs P = 0.44). In gravid females, only IL-1alpha was significantly elevated relative to non-pregnant females (IL-1beta elevation approached statistical significance). Gravid females with positive urine cultures could not be distinguished from those with negative cultures based on either interleukin (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant elevations of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta occur in patients with bacterial cystitis and microscopic hematuria. Correlation between pyuria and cytokine elevation was stronger for IL-1beta than for IL-1alpha. Changes in IL-1alpha may reflect changes in the bladder epithelium rather than in the inflammatory leukocytes. The ability of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta to serve as markers for bacterial cystitis in gravid females is diminished due to high basal levels during pregnancy.
Department of Urology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
J V
JV
Candela
E
E
Park
J M
JM
Gerspach
R
R
Davidoff
L
L
Stout
S M
SM
Levy
G E
GE
Leach
G C
GC
Bellman
P M
PM
Lad
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003556:Cystitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D011776:Pyuria / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D007375:Interleukin-1