Serum levels of interleukin 2 and 4 in children with chronic liver diseases

ABSTRACT

This study was performed on 50 children, classified as follows 15 patients with chronic viral hepatitis, 15 patients with chronic schistosomal hepatitis and 20 apparently healthy children as a control group. All cases were diagnosed by laboratory investigations which included urine and stool analysis, liver function tests and hepatitis B surface antigen, in addition to abdominal ultrasound and liver biopsy to detect the pathological diagnosis. Cases and control groups were investigated for quantitative measurement of serum interleukin 2 and 4. As regard to interleukin 2 [IL2], there was statistically significant decrease [P < 0.001] in its level in chronic viral hepatitis in relation to control group while it was statistically high [P < 0.001] in chronic schistosomal hepatitis in relation to control group. The serum level of interleukin 4 [IL4] was found to be statistically significantly more increased [P < 0.05] in chronic schistosomal hepatitis than control group. It was also high in chronic viral hepatitis, but with an insignificant difference [P > 0.05]. On studying the variation of serum IL2 and lL4 among the two patients group, it was found that there is significant increase in IL2 level in schistosomal group in relation to the viral one [P <0.001] while no significant difference could be recorded between them in IL4 level. We concluded that the changes occurring in the level of interleukins in chronic hepatitis are considered as an immunological mechanism offered by the body against invasion with antigen [whether schistosome or virus B] and these laboratory tests can be applied in the field of diagnosis of such liver diseases