title: Determination of Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha concentrations in Iranian-Khorasanian patients with preeclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objective was to determine the role of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), markers of immune activation and endothelial dysfunction, in patients with preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty four women with preeclampsia and eighteen antepartum normotensive pregnant women were recruited as controls. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We used independent-samples t test to assess the differences in the concentration of cytokines in preeclamptic patients and control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-6 levels [mean (S.D.)] were significantly higher in preeclamptic women [5.8 (4.85) pg/ml] compared to normal pregnant women [3.01 (2.45) pg/ml] (p = 0.02). There was no significant change in concentration of TNF-alpha in preeclamptic women [53.8 (30.0) pg/ml] compared to normal pregnant women [51.9 (33.8) pg/ml] (p > 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that IL-6 as a pro-inflammatory cytokine is present in higher concentration in women with preeclampsia. The study was undertaken in women with established preeclampsia and it is not possible to determine whether the increased concentration of IL-6 is a cause or consequence of the disease. Furthermore, these findings suggest that serum TNF-alpha level is not associated with preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics Department, Immunology Research Group, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Bu-Ali Sq., Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. jtavakkol@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J Tavakkol
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Afshari
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghomian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shameli
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shakeri
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fahmidehkar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahajer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khoshnavaz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emadzadeh