[Selected cytokines (Il-6, Il-8, Il-10, MCP-1, TNF-alpha) in children and adolescents with atherosclerosis risk factors: obesity, hypertension, diabetes].

UNLABELLED According to increasing experimental and clinical evidence the inflammatory processes take important part in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the concentrations of selected inflammatory (IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-alpha) and antiinflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in children and adolescents with atherosclerosis risk factors: obesity, hypertension and diabetes. We studied 64 children and adolescents aged 14.88 +/- 2.4 years. Children were divided into: group with obesity (n = 11), group with obesity accompanying by hypertension (n = 14), children with hypertension (n = 11) and diabetic group (n = 28). Control group consisted of 15 healthy children aged 15.3 yrs. The evaluation of studied cytokines was performed with the use of immunoenzymatic ELISA kits (R&D Systems). IL-6 concentration in the whole group was 5.7 +/- 19 pg/mL and was significantly higher than in controls--2.3 +/- 2.3 pg/mL (p = 0.04). The highest IL-6 level was found in obesity group--11 +/- 30 pg/mL (p = 0.02). Significant difference was also found in the group with obesity and hypertension--8.3 +/- 15 pg/mL (p = 0.046) and in diabetic children--6.5 +/- 14 pg/ml (0.046). Interleukin 8 level in whole group was 486 +/- 839 pg/mL and was not different from the control group--236 +/- 197 pg/mL. IL-10 level in the study group was 4.9 +/- 3 pg/mL and did not differ from controls--4.5 +/- 1.2 pg/mL. TNF-alpha level was significantly higher in whole study group--8.9 +/- 2.4 pg/mL (p = 0.04) compared to controls--8.0 +/- 4.9 pg/mL, and in children with obesity--9.5 +/- 1.5 pg/mL (p = 0.034) as well as in children with obesity and hypertension--9.6 +/- 3.1 pg/mL (p = 0.042). MCP-1 level did not differ between the studied groups (228 +/- 124 pg/mL in whole study group) and controls--182 +/- 46 pg/mL. Correlation analysis by Spearman showed significantly correlation between IL-6 and body mass index in the whole study group. TNF-alpha also correlated with body mass index. CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents with obesity, obesity accompanying by hypertension and diabetes have elevated levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha. IL-6 and TNF-alpha correlates with body mass index not only in obese but also in hypertensive, slim children. The elevated levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-alpha) in children with atherosclerosis risk factors (particularly obesity) can confirm the presence of inflammatory process in early phases of atherosclerosis.