ABSTRACT
Serum samples from 76 patients with neutropenia and 34 control subjects were analyzed for levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 1 alpha, and tumor necrosis factor beta. Clinical correlates and duration of neutropenia were determined insofar as possible. Systemic acute inflammatory disease was present in only two patients. In most cases, the neutropenia was considered idiopathic or medication related. Significantly elevated serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor levels were found in the patient group, regardless of the apparent cause of the neutropenia. Increased levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 1, and tumor necrosis factor were seen in only one patient with sepsis.
Subject(s)
Cytokines/blood , Neutropenia/blood , Adult , Aged , Female , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/blood , Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/blood , Humans , Interleukin-1/blood , Leukocyte Count , Lymphotoxin-alpha/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Neutropenia/etiology , Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor , Receptors, Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating FactorABSTRACT
Serum levels of erythropoietin and five other cytokines potentially operational in erythropoiesis were determined in patients with anemia of chronic disease. No correlation between erythropoietin levels and severity of anemia was found. A spectrum of abnormality was encountered among patients in whom there was less than expected erythropoietin response to increased levels of erythropoietin and among others in whom the erythropoietin levels were subnormal for their degree of anemia. Increased serum levels of interleukin-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were encountered in limited numbers of patients, especially those with increased erythropoietin levels. Deficient erythropoietin production is concluded to be the major cause of anemia of chronic disease.
