[Pathogenetic importance of proinflammatory cytokines in the formation and progression of fibrosis in alcoholic hepatitis].

AIM OF INVESTIGATION: To study the effect of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) on prognosis and outcome of alcoholic hepatitis (formation of fibrosis).
METHODS: Overall 48 patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH) were investigated. The control group consisted of 25 healthy donors. Morphological study of liver biopsies and 13C-methacetin breath test (13C MBT) was carried out at 15 patients with AH. Concentration of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood serum was detected by immunoenzyme assay with application of commercial tests-systems Vector-Best. STUDY
RESULTS: At patients with AH TNF-alpha, IL-6 and CRP significantly increased in comparison to healthy persons. We found a significant correlation between fibrosis stage and TNF-alpha (r = 0.53; p < 0.01), IL-6 (r = 0.62; p < 0.01), the Knodell Histological Activity Index and TNF-alpha (r = 0.58, p < 0.05), IL-6 (r = 0.64; p < 0.01), the results of 13C MBT and TNF-alpha (r = -0.72; p < 0.01), IL-6 (r = -0.73; p < 0.01), alanine aminotransferase and TNF-alpha (r = 0.61; p < 0.01), IL-6 (r = 0.54; p < 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase and TNF-alpha (r = 0.64; p < 0.01), IL-6 (r = 0.65; p < 0.01), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and TNF-alpha (r = 0.46; p < 0.01), IL-6 (r = 0.48; p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 have predictive value for development of inflammation and fibrosis in patients with AH and can be used as non-invasive markers of fibrosis.