title: Saliva Interleukin-6 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract. In regulation of this inflammatory process, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has a major role. Overproduction of IL-6 by immunocompetent cells contributes to development of the inflammatory condition. Elevated levels of IL-6 in saliva could be expected, because the saliva-producing cells are part of the digestive system.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL-6 concentrations in saliva and plasma were studied in patients with CD (n=15), UC (n=7) and reference persons (RP) (n=19) by use of an ELISA method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference in saliva IL-6 concentration between CD patients (median 16.9 ng/L; p<0.05) and RP (median 6.3 ng/L) was found. A significant difference in plasma IL-6 concentration between CD (median 10.3 ng/L; p<0.001) or UC (median 7.8 ng/L; p<0.001) and RP (median 0.8 ng/L) was observed. In patients with CD, plasma IL-6 correlated significantly with C-reactive protein (CRP) as well as albumin. In patients with UC, saliva IL-6 and plasma IL-6 correlated significantly with AI (activity index) scores as well as albumin. In patients with UC, a significant correlation between the saliva and plasma IL-6 concentrations was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 was found in saliva in patients with IBD, documenting the general involvement of the gastrointestinal tract extending to the mouth cavity, and measuring IL-6 may be an additional method for evaluating and monitoring the disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vejle County Hospital, Vejle, Denmark. abn@post9.tele.dk
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aleksandra Nielsen
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nederby Nielsen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmedes
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brandslund
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein