Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Blood Cytokines Levels in Women with Moderate and Severe Pelvic Venous Insufficiency

The aim of this study was to determine the blood levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with moderate and severe pelvic venous insufficiency (PVI). Methods and Results: One hundred and four women with PVI and 30 healthy women (control group [CG]) of reproductive age were examined. The patients with PVI (main group [MG]) were divided into 2 subgroups according to the severity of the disease: MG-moderate (n=63) and MG-severe (n=41). The concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8), and anti-inflammatory interleukins IL-4 and IL-10 were assessed by enzyme immunoassay using monoclonal antibody panels. Measurements were performed on a microplate photometer. Data analysis showed higher values of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) in the MG-moderate than in the CG. The MG-severe, compared with the CG, had high levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and low IL-10 concentration. In addition, patients of the MG-severe had higher levels of IL-2 than patients of the MG-moderate (P=0.045). The IL-6/IL-10 ratio was characterized by higher values in the MG-moderate and MG-severe than in the CG (P