title: Is interleukin-8 an additional to histopathological changes diagnostic marker in HCV-infected patients with cryoglobulinemia?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze histopathological changes in the liver and serum inflammatory cytokine level in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with and without cryoglobulinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 34 patients with chronic hepatitis C, confirmed by serological and virological markers. Ten out of 34 patients had cryoglobulinemia. The control group consisted of 21 healthy persons. Liver biopsy specimens of HCV-infected patients were evaluated by light microscopy using the grade and the stage according to Batts and Ludwig classification. The quantitative measurements of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, and tumor necrosis factor in sera were performed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of HCV-infected patients with cryoglobulinemia was higher than age of HCV-infected patients without cryoglobulinemia. Microscopic examination of liver biopsy specimens revealed necroinflammatory activity slightly more prominent in patients with cryoglobulinemia. The most prominent inflammatory changes connected with abundant lymphoid aggregates in most of the examined portal tracts and piecemeal necroses were diagnosed in patients with several extrahepatic manifestations, such as cutaneous manifestations, nephrotic syndrome, polyneuropathy, and arthropathy. Liver fibrosis was similar in patients with and without cryoglobulinemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum levels of all proinflammatory cytokines, especially IL-8, were significantly higher in the patients with cryoglobulinemia in comparison with the patients without cryoglobulinemia and healthy persons. All microscopic features did not correlate with the level of any investigated proinflammatory cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cielecka-Kuszyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siennicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Acquired Immunodeficiencies, Warsaw Medical University, 37, Wolska Street, 01-201, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jabłońska
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rek
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godzik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabczenko
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Hygiene, 24, Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland. kmadalinski@pzh.gov.pl.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madaliński