title: Serum TNF-a, IL-8, VEGF levels in Helicobacter pylori infection and their association with degree of gastritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to investigate the serum levels of TNF-a, IL-8, VEGF in Helicobacter pylori infection, and their association with the degrees of gastritis histopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  a cross-sectional study was done on 80 consecutive gastritis patients admitted to endoscopy units at Adam Malik General Hospital and Permata Bunda Hospital, Medan, Indonesia from July-December 2014. The Rapid Urease test was used for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. The severity of chronic inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia were assessed. Serum samples were obtained to determine circulating TNF-a, IL-8, and VEGF. Univariate and bivariate analysis (chi square, fisher's exact, and mann-whitney test) were done using SPSS version-22.
  
  
  RESULTS
  there were 41.25% of 80 patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. Serum TNF-a and VEGF levels in the infected group were significantly higher compared to H. pylori negative, but there were no significant differences between serum levels of IL-8 in H. pylori positive and negative. There were significant associations between serum level of TNF-a and IL-8 with degree of chronic inflammation, and also between serum level of IL-8 and degree of neutrophil infiltration. There were significant associations between serum level of VEGF and degree of atrophy, and also between serum level of VEGF and degree of intestinal metaplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of TNF-a were associated with severe degree of chronic inflammation, high levels of IL-8 associated with severe degree of chronic inflammation and neutrophil infiltration, and high levels of VEGF associated with severe degree of premalignant gastric lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Sumatera Utara - Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Gontar A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Siregar
authors.forename: Sahat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halim
authors.forename: Vicky R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Sitepu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A