title: Can systemic cytokines predict relapse of inflammatory bowel disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the value of systemic cytokines as predictors of relapse in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study with 135 patients in clinical remission for at least 3 months. At enrollment, a venous blood was drawn in order to measure, by an ELISA test, the following cytokines: TNFalpha, TNFalpha-R1 and R2, IL-16, IL-1beta, IL 2, IL-R2, IL-6, IL-10, and IFNgamma. All patients were followed-up for one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-six patients had Crohn's disease (CD) and 69 had ulcerative colitis (UC). Thirty-nine (30%) had a relapse. Forty-four percent were receiving immunomodulatory therapy. No differences were found regarding detection and baseline concentration of the various cytokines between patients with CD and UC, or between patients with or without ongoing use of immunomodulators. The detection and concentration levels of cytokines were not associated with the risk of relapse of IBD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic cytokines are of little value to predict IBD relapse.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Reina University Sofia Hospital, Cordoba, Spain. vallegarciasanchez@gmail.com
authors.forename: Valle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García-Sánchez
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Flores
authors.forename: Javier P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gisbert
authors.forename: Jose Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Angel-Rey
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soto-Escribano
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gálvez-Calderón
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reyes-López
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérez-Jiménez
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Dios-Vega
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muntané
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gómez-Camacho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents