ABSTRACT
AIM: To observe Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-10) cytokine changes in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and explore the correlation between ITP development and Th1/Th2. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with ITP and 26 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment. RESULTS: The serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 in patients with ITP before the glucocorticoid treatment were significantly higher than those after the treatment and in the control groups (P<0.05), while the serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in patients with ITP before treatment were significantly lower than those after the treatment and in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Th1/Th2 imbalance plays a prominent role in the development of ITP, and glucocorticoid treatment helps to restore the Th1/Th2 in the patients with ITP.
