G. Corrado et al., Increased release of interleukin-6 by oesophageal mucose in children with reflux oesophagitis, EUR J GASTR, 11(8), 1999, pp. 839-843
Objective To evaluate the release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) by oesophageal mu
cosa and to establish the serum levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP)
, and plasma fibrinogen in children with reflux oesophagitis.
Design In a prospective study, IL-6 release by tissue fragments obtained fr
om oesophageal biopsies was determined and serum IL-6 and CRP as well as pl
asma fibrinogen were analysed.
Methods The study population comprised ten children with reflux oesophagiti
s, diagnosed on the basis of 24 h oesophageal pH monitoring and endoscopy w
ith biopsies. Ten children with recurrent abdominal pain were studied for c
omparative purposes. Biopsy tissue fragments were processed to obtain a cel
l suspension and the release of IL-6 was determined in culture medium. Seru
m IL-6 levels were measured by ELISA, serum CRP by turbidimetry, and plasma
fibrinogen by spectrophotometry.
Results Oesophageal cells obtained from reflux oesophagitis patients synthe
size and release in vitro a significantly higher amount of IL-6 than contro
ls (71.26 +/- 19.5 versus 31.67 +/- 8.02 pg/10(6) cells; P< 0.01). Serum IL
-6, serum CRP and plasma fibrinogen levels were not statistically different
between patients with reflux oesophagitis and controls,
Conclusions These results suggest a short-term action of IL-6 since its eff
ects could be exerted only in the microenvironment of the oesophageal mucos
a. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 11:839-843 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wi
lkins.