title: Evaluation of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in lung transplant patients with human cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: We hypothesized that interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) might serve as additional diagnostic parameter in lung transplant patients with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. Therefore, we compared IL-6 levels in HCMV-positive vs. HCMV-negative patients. IL-6 was measured by ELISA in plasma and BAL in 111 patients. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of IL-10 on IL-6 production in HCMV-positive patients. For HCMV-DNA detection in plasma and BAL a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used. IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the HCMV-positive group (n = 39; BAL p = 0.045; plasma p = 0.017) in comparison to the HCMV-negative group (n = 72). IL-10 did not correlate with IL-6 concentration (p = 0.146). Donor (D) or recipient (R) HCMV-constellation did not influence IL-6 concentration. IL-6 levels were not influenced by elevated levels of HCMV copies. Our data suggest that IL-6 does not serve as a good diagnostic parameter for existence of HCMV infection in lung transplant patients. Because of the wide range of the IL-6 levels in both groups, we were not able to find a breakpoint differentiating between infected and not-infected patients. Another important finding was that IL-6 production is not dependent of the HCMV status of D/R.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zedtwitz-Liebenstein
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaksch
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burgmann
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friehs
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofbauer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schellongowski
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frass
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10