Features of cytokine balance with the progression of structural changes in the gastric mucosa in patients with atrophic gastritis

Background. Until now, the issue of the correlation between the cytokine balance and the progression of structural changes in the gastric mucosa remain completely uncertain. At the same time, the determination of the role of cytokine balance as a component of gastric carcinogenesis will make it possible to substantiate new approaches to managing patients with atrophic gastritis. The purpose was to assess the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at the stages of progression of structural changes in the gastric mucosa of patients with atrophic gastritis. Materials and methods. The study included 79 individuals with atrophic gastritis who underwent narrow band imaging endoscopic examination. The patients were divided into groups taking into account the revealed structural changes in the gastric mucosa: group I— 7 people with gastric mucosal atrophy without intestinal metaplasia (IM); group II— 16 individuals with gastric mucosal atrophy with IM limited by the antrum; group III— 45 people with diffuse IM against the background of gastric mucosal atrophy; group IV— 10 individuals with gastric mucosal dysplasia. In all patients, we assessed the level of interleukins (IL-8, IL-10, IL-18), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), VEGF. Results. In patients of group IV, the concentration of IL-8 in the blood serum was 18.6 (11.3; 23.9) pg/ml that was significantly higher than in group I (by 5.0 times, p