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Serum cytokine detection in the clinical follow up of patients with cystic echinococcosis

The relation of serum cytokine levels and outcome of chemotherapy was evaluated in 15 patients with cystic echinococcosis. Serum IL‐4, IL‐10 and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) concentrations were determined by ELISA before and after a 3‐month course of albendazole treatment: at least one serum sample per patient from 13 patients (87%) contained measurable amounts of IL‐4; samples from five patients (33%) measurable amounts of IL‐10 and samples from only two patients (13%) measurable amounts of IFN‐γ. Clinical assessment at 1 year after the end of therapy showed that 11 of the 15 patients had responded clinically. Seven of these patients had lower IL‐4 serum concentrations, two had unchanged and two undetectable amounts (pre‐ versus post‐therapy, n = 11, P = 0.008). Conversely, of the patients who did not respond, three had higher and one patient unchanged serum IL‐4 concentrations. Serum IL‐10 levels also decreased in all patients who responded (3/5) and increased in all patients who did not (2/5). No association was found between cytokine concentrations and cyst characteristics or antibody levels. Overall these data suggest that serum IL‐4 detection may be useful in the follow up of patients with cystic echinococcosis.