Clinical significance of peripheral blood mononuclear cell IL-18 level in patients with chronic HBV infection / 国际检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the relevance of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) IL- 18 level in patients with chronic HBV infection and the activity of chronic hepatitis B as well as the ex- tent of hepatic tissue inflammation. Methods Flow cytometry was applied to measuring IL-18 level in PBMCs isolated from 147 patients with HBV infection; meanwhile, 22 cases with hepatitis B patients or HBV carriers underwent needling biopsy of liver for liver histopathologic examination. Results IL- 18 level was rising step by step in moderate chronic hepatitis, severe chronic hepatitis, chronic serious hepatitis and acute fatal hepatitis. Elevation of IL-18 level was correlative to the activity of hepatic tis- sue inflammation. Conclusion The expression level of IL-18 is different in various HBV infection states, which is correlative to the activity of chronic hepatitis B as well as the extent of hepatic tissue inflammation. Therefore, IL-18 may be used as an important index of evaluating therapeutic effect and prognosis.