Ys. Huang et al., SERUM LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-8 IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE - RELATIONSHIP WITH DISEASE STAGE, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND SURVIVAL, Journal of hepatology, 24(4), 1996, pp. 377-384
Background/Aims: Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a cytokine produced by a host o
f cells, including monocytes, macrophages, Kupffer cells and hepatocyt
es, can activate neutrophils, Peripheral neutrophilia and liver neutro
phil infiltration are frequently noted in patients with alcoholic live
r disease, However, the relationship between IL-8 and different stages
of alcoholic liver disease is uncertain, The aim of this study is to
determine if a correlation exists between circulating IL-8 levels and
biochemical and histological parameters and survival in alcoholic live
r disease. Methods: Serum levels of IL-8 were determined with an enzym
e-linked immunosorbent assay in 166 subjects, consisting of 30 healthy
controls, 26 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver, 15 with alcohol
ic fatty liver, 32 with alcoholic hepatitis, 30 with alcoholic cirrhos
is, 28 with chronic hepatitis B and 5 with chronic hepatitis C. Result
s: Serum IL-8 levels were markedly elevated in patients with alcoholic
hepatitis (437 +/- 51 pg/ml) when compared with all other groups (p <
0.05), Levels of IL-8 in patients with alcoholic fatty liver, alcohol
ic cirrhosis and viral hepatitis were higher than those in controls an
d in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver, In addition, IL-8 levels
were higher in patients who died (p = 0.007), and correlated with bio
chemical and histological parameters, and severity of liver injury: se
rum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total biliru
bin, prothrombin time, indocyanine green retention ratio, tumor necros
is factor-alpha and peripheral neutrophil count in patients with alcoh
olic hepatitis, After a 2-year follow up, patients with IL-8 above 479
pg/ml had a higher mortality rate in the alcoholic hepatitis group (p
= 0.033). Conclusions: These findings suggest that IL-8 is activated
in alcoholic liver disease, especially in alcoholic hepatitis, and is
closely correlated with liver injury, IL-8 levels can reflect the stag
e and severity of alcoholic liver disease, and may serve as a predicto
r of survival in patients with alcoholic hepatitis.