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[Correlations between plasma levels of IL-18, IL-4, IFN-gamma, IgE and ECP in the patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and their clinical implications].

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlations between plasma levels of IL-18, IL-4, IFN-gamma, IgE and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), and their clinical implications.


METHOD
A total of 89 patients with SAR were divided into two groups, acute group and remission group. Thirty healthy controls were recruited into the study. The levels of IL-18, IL-4, IFN-gamma were detected with sandwich ELISA procedures and sIgE (specific IgE), tIgE (total IgE) and ECP levels were measured with fluorescent enzyme immunoassay using UniCAP system in each group.


RESULT
(1) At acute stage of patients with SAR, the plasma levels of tIgE and ECP were significantly higher than that of the patients at remission stage and healthy controls (P < 0.01, respectively). There was not statistical difference between acute and remission stage (P > 0.05) in the levels of sIgE, but it was significantly higher than that of healthy controls (P < 0.01). (2) At acute stage of patients with SAR, plasma levels of IL-18 and IL-4 were significantly higher than those of the patients at remission stage and healthy controls (P < 0.01, respectively), the levels of IL-18 at remission stage was still higher than that of healthy controls (P < 0.01). (3) There were positive correlations between the plasma levels of IL-18 and IL-4, tIgE, ECP, respectively in acute group, whereas there were negative correlations between the IL-4, tIgE and IFN-gamma, respectively. There were no correlations between levels of IL-18 and IFN-gamma, sIgE.


CONCLUSION
The plasma levels of IL-18, tIgE, IL-4 and ECP were significantly higher in the patients with SAR, and there were positive correlations between them respectively. It was suggested that IL-18 is likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation.