SERUM PROFILES OF INTERLEUKIN 6 CONCENTRATIONS AND WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNTS IN TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS DURING THE COURSE OF SIX MONTHS TREATMENT IN ENUGU NIGERIA
Chikere A. Anusiem, MBBS, PhD* and Samuel I. Ghasi, PhD.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study was carried out to determine the serum profiles of biomarkers of inflammation during the course of six months standard treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults using the first line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Methods and Materials: The study was a prospective observational study. The protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu. The subjects gave informed consent. Treatment of the patients was undertaken by competent staff of our Teaching Hospital. Blood samples were taken before commencement of treatment, after 2 months, and then after 6 months treatment. Blood samples were also taken from healthy volunteers (controls). Serum concentration Interleukin 6 was determined using Human Elisa technique while white blood cell (leukocyte) count was done by routine manual microscopy. Results: Prior to treatment, the mean total white blood cell count of the patients was 4783.0±158.0/mm3 and the mean serum concentration of Interleukin 6 was 26.9±2.2 pg/ml. After 6 months of treatment mean total white blood cell count was 4633.0±143.0/mm3 whereas the mean serum Interleukin 6 concentration was 16.0±1.0pg/ml. For healthy controls, mean white blood cell count was 4817.0±131.0/mm3 and mean serum Interleukin 6 was 15.3±2.3 pg/ml. There was statistically significant progressive decline in serum concentration of Interleukin 6 during the course of treatment (p > 0.05), but the differences in total white blood cell counts were not found significant. Conclusion: Serum Interleukin 6 is considered a potential biomarker for active tuberculosis.
Keywords: Tuberculosis; cytokine; white blood cell count; leukocyte; interleukin 6.
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