Serum levels of interleukins 2, 4, 6, and 10 in veterans with chronic sulfur mustard-induced pruritus: a cross-sectional study.
Inflammation is a key component in the pathogenesis of sulfur mustard (SM)-induced skin complications. Here, the levels of interleukin (IL) -2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were evaluated in patients with chronic SM-induced complications. Seventy-four serum samples were collected from SM-injured veterans (SM group; n = 37) and nonchemically injured patients (control group; n = 37) with skin pruritus. The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were evaluated by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay technique in both nil and mitogen medium. No significant difference was found in pruritus score between SM (74.16 +/- 5.93) and control (74.48 +/- 6.15) groups (P > .05). The mean serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-6 were found to be significantly elevated in the control compared with the SM group (P < .05). However, no significant difference was observed between the study groups regarding serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 (P > .05). Serum IL-2 (in both SM and control groups) and IL-6 (in the control group) concentrations were significantly correlated with pruritus score while no significant association was found for IL-4 and IL-10. Serum concentrations of IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10 are significantly decreased in SM-exposed patients with chronic pruritus. Such alterations might represent a plausible mechanism for tissue damage and skin itching following SM exposure. Therefore, variation of ILs may also contribute to skin pruritus induced by SM.
Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Molla-Sadra Avenue, PO Box 19945/581, Vanak Sqare, Tehran, Iran. yunespanahi@yahoo.com
Yunes
Y
Panahi
Seyyed Masoud
SM
Davoudi
Fatemeh
F
Beiraghdar
Mojtaba
M
Amiri
Alireza
A
Saadat
Eisa Tahmasbpour
ET
Marzony
Mohmad Mehdi
MM
Naghizadeh
Amirhossein
A
Sahebkar
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000506:poisoning; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000506:poisoning; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D009151:Mustard Gas