title: Elevated serum interleukin-38 level at baseline predicts virological response in telbivudine-treated patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate serum interleukin (IL)-38 level and its clinical role in predicting virological response (VR) to telbivudine (LdT) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study participants were divided into two groups; one group consisted of 43 healthy controls (HCs) and the other group consisted of 46 patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive CHB. All patients were administered 600 mg of oral LdT daily for 52 wk, and they visited physicians every 12 wk for physical examination and laboratory tests. Serum IL-38 levels were determined using ELISA. The concentrations of serum Th1- and Th2-type cytokines were measured using the cytometric bead array (CBA) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of IL-38 at baseline in all patients were higher than those in HCs [306.97 (123.26-492.79) pg/mL vs 184.50 (135.56-292.16) pg/mL, P = 0.019]; the levels returned to normal after the first 12 wk of treatment with LdT [175.51 (103.90-331.91) pg/mL vs 184.50 (135.56-292.16) pg/mL, P > 0.05]. Serum IL-38 levels at baseline were positively associated with serum aspartate aminotransferase levels in patients with CHB (r = 0.311, P = 0.036). Higher levels of serum IL-38 at baseline were associated with a greater probability of VR to LdT treatment at 24 wk (48.15% vs 15.79%, P = 0.023) and 52 wk (66.67% vs 36.84%, P = 0.044). The levels of serum IL-38 in patients with primary non-response at week 12 after treatment initiation were lower than those in patients with primary response [64.44 (49.85-172.08) pg/mL vs 190.54 (121.35-355.28) pg/mL, P = 0.036]. Serum IL-38 levels were correlated with serum IL-6 and IL-12 levels in patients with CHB during treatment with LdT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum IL-38 levels in untreated CHB patients reflect ongoing liver injury. Higher serum IL-38 levels before treatment indicate a greater probability of VR to LdT treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hong-Juan Wang, Xin-Rui Wang, Pu-Jun Gao, Department of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hong-Juan Wang, Xin-Rui Wang, Pu-Jun Gao, Department of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Hong-Juan Wang, Xin-Rui Wang, Pu-Jun Gao, Department of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Rui
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hong-Juan Wang, Xin-Rui Wang, Pu-Jun Gao, Department of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Man-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hong-Juan Wang, Xin-Rui Wang, Pu-Jun Gao, Department of Hepatology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Pu-Jun
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response; D000077712:Telbivudine; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance; D013936:Thymidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; C571243:IL-38 protein, human; D007378:Interleukins; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine
keywords: Alanine aminotransferase; Aspartate aminotransferase; Chronic hepatitis B; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-38; Interleukin-6; Primary non-response; Virological response