title: Relationship between circulating interleukin-10 and histological features in patients with chronic C hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An imbalance in cytokine production may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic C hepatitis. The aim of the study was to investigate circulating levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in a selected cohort of patients affected by chronic C hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study based on consecutive hepatitis C virus patients, affected by chronic active hepatitis, attending the general hospital of hepatology unit from June to September 2009
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 49 patients with chronic C hepatitis and 20 healthy control subjects similar in gender and age were examined. Circulating IL-10 was assessed by ELISA commercial kit (R and D Systems) in all investigated subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in IL-10 values between controls and overall patients (P>.05). Nevertheless, among patients, subjects with more severe necroinflammation had higher values than others (P<.001). Moreover, a close relationship was found between IL-10 values and serum aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.61; P<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that IL-10 may be a useful additional marker to assess necroinflammation and to monitor the evolution of liver damage. They also argue for a potential pathophysiological role for IL-10 in the persistence and progression of hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. cmbruno@unict.it
authors.forename: Cosimo Marcello
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertino
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardiri
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Consolo
authors.forename: Clorinda Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mazzarino
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016753:Interleukin-10; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases