Erythropoietin and the pro-inflammatory cytokines in chronic C hepatitis.
OBJECTIVE
Erythropoietin has an antiinflammatory action. We proposed to study its effects on patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
We studied a group of 96 hospitalized patients. Those with viral chronic hepatitis C were divided into 2 groups: group A--41 patients with chronic renal failure, and group B--23 patients without renal failure. 32 patients without any hepatitis viruses formed the control group--C. We analyzed: the biochemical tests, the serum IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, C reactive protein, and erythropoietin.


RESULTS
The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and of erythropoietin were higher in the patients from groups A and B, except the value of TNF-alpha from group B. The dialyzed patients had higherpro-inflammatory cytokines and lower erythropoietiin comparing with the non-dialyzed patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Erythropoietin levels and some proinflammatory cytokines increasein patients with chronic hepatitis C. Erythropoietin could have an anti-inflammatory effect on thepatients without renal failure.
Mihăilă
Romeo-Gabriel
RG
Medical Clinic II, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu, Romania.
Rezi
Elena-Cristina
EC
Boitan
Minerva
M
Zaharie
Alina-Viorica
AV
Olteanu
Ariela
A
Deac
Mircea
M
D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004921:Erythropoietin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein