ABSTRACT
Background and study aim: ELISA can determine serum Interleukin (IL)-18 level. It is a sensitive; simple and rapid test; thus help to study changes of serum IL-18 levels in chronic HCV related liver diseases during different stages. The objective of this study was to study serum IL-18 levels in chronic HCV related liver diseases. Patients and methods: Sera from 60 patients with HCV related chronic liver diseases at various stages of HCV infection (chronic hepatitis; cirrhosis and complications) and sera of 10 normal controls were subjected to measurements of serum IL-18 level by ELISA assay.Results: There were highly significant increase in the mean values of serum IL-18 in chronic HCV related liver cirrhosis; non complicated and complicated patients in comparison to chronic active hepatitis C patients and healthy subjects and highly significant increase in the mean values of serum IL-18 in complicated patients in comparison to non complicated patients. There was highly significant increase in the mean values of serum IL-18 in decompensated liver cirrhosis patients when compared to compensated patients. Conclusion: Serum IL-18 level shows highly positive significant correlation with severity of liver dysfunction in HCV related liver cirrhosis