OBJECTIVE: To investigate if severe malarial anaemia is associated with a specific immune response pattern, we determined serum levels of neopterin (a marker of activation of macrophages by interferon-gamma) and of the anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukins 4 and 10. METHODS: Zambian children < 6 years of age presenting to a rural hospital with cerebral malaria were studied. Twenty-one children with admission haemoglobin concentrations </= 5 g/dl were classified as having severe anaemia and 40 with haemoglobin concentrations >/= 7 g/dl served as a control group. RESULTS: Logistic regression modelling indicated that a 10-fold rise in serum neopterin concentrations was associated with a 50-fold increase in the estimated odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.015), while a 10-fold rise in serum interleukin 4 concentrations was associated with a 10-fold decrease in the estimated odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.023). Increasing serum interleukin 10 concentrations, measured in less than half of the subjects, were associated with a nonsignificant reduction in the odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.095). CONCLUSION: Development of severe malarial anaemia may be directly associated with serum neopterin concentrations and inversely correlated with serum interleukin 4 levels.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate if severe malarial anaemia is associated with a specific immune response pattern, we determined serum levels of neopterin (a marker of activation of macrophages by interferon-gamma) and of the anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukins 4 and 10. METHODS: Zambian children < 6 years of age presenting to a rural hospital with cerebral malaria were studied. Twenty-one children with admission haemoglobin concentrations </= 5 g/dl were classified as having severe anaemia and 40 with haemoglobin concentrations >/= 7 g/dl served as a control group. RESULTS: Logistic regression modelling indicated that a 10-fold rise in serum neopterin concentrations was associated with a 50-fold increase in the estimated odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.015), while a 10-fold rise in serum interleukin 4 concentrations was associated with a 10-fold decrease in the estimated odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.023). Increasing serum interleukin 10 concentrations, measured in less than half of the subjects, were associated with a nonsignificant reduction in the odds of having severe anaemia (P = 0.095). CONCLUSION: Development of severe malarial anaemia may be directly associated with serum neopterin concentrations and inversely correlated with serum interleukin 4 levels.
Authors: René te Witt; Marlies E van Wolfswinkel; Pieter L Petit; Jaap J van Hellemond; Rob Koelewijn; Alex van Belkum; Perry J J van Genderen Journal: Malar J Date: 2010-09-14 Impact factor: 2.979
Authors: Andréa Aparecida Morais Fernandes; Leonardo José de Moura Carvalho; Graziela Maria Zanini; Ana Maria Revorêdo da Silva Ventura; José Maria Souza; Paulo Marcelo Cotias; Isaac Lima Silva-Filho; Cláudio Tadeu Daniel-Ribeiro Journal: Clin Vaccine Immunol Date: 2008-02-06
Authors: Erika van den Bogaart; Al-Badawi A Talha; Masja Straetemans; Pètra F Mens; Emily R Adams; Martin P Grobusch; Bakri Y M Nour; Henk D F H Schallig Journal: BMC Immunol Date: 2014-05-01 Impact factor: 3.615