CORRELATION OF SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR LEVELS WITH SEVERITY OFCHRONIC HEPATITIS-C VIRUS LIVER-INJURY AND DEVELOPMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR CANCER

Background. Patients with acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infectio n have elevated serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor. This s tudy examined patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection to det ermine whether serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels were elevat ed and whether the degree of these elevations in serum levels correlat ed with histologic severity of hepatitis-related liver injury. Methods . Percutaneous liver biopsies were performed on 123 patients with chro nic hepatitis C virus infection. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in these 123 patients were measured by means of specific enz yme-linked immunoassay and were compared with levels in 174 subjects i n a hepatitis-free control group. Results. Soluble interleukin-2 recep tor levels were significantly higher in the patients with hepatitis C than in subjects in a control group (p < 0.0001). A progressive and si gnificant increase occurred in soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels w ith increasing severity of liver injury (p < 0.001). The highest level s of soluble interleukin-2 receptor occurred in patients who had hepat ocellular cancer. Conclusions. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels c orrelate with the histologic severity of liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and may be useful as a marker in patients at highrisk of getting hepatocellular cancer.