Anti-inflammatory response of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome

THE systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an inflammatory process seen in association with a large number of clinical infective and non-infective conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin -4 (IL-4), interleukin -10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Serum levels of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β were determined in 45 patients with SIRS: 38 patients had SIRS of infectious origin, where as seven patients had non-infectious SIRS. Twenty healthy subjects were used as controls. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β were determined by an immunoenzyme as say. A significant increase of IL-4 was observed in these patients at the time of diagnosis and 5 days later. In contrast, serum levels of IL-10 were not increased at the time of diagnosis, but a s light de crease was noted after 5 days. Se rum levels of TGF-β were not increased at time of diagnosis, and as light increase was observed after 5 days. Serum levels of IL-4 were significantly higher in patients with infectious SIRS at the time of diagnosis, where as no significant difference between infectious and non-infectious SIRS was noted for se rum levels of IL-10 and TGF-β at the time of diagnosis and 5 days later. During SIRS, serum levels of IL-4 were significantly increased with a significant correlation between IL-4 and mortality, and only levels of IL-4 were significantly increased in the SIRS caused by infectious stimuli.