Role of IL-10 in rheumatic fever

Abstract EN

Aim of Work: To determine whether a dysregulation of IL-10 production might be implicated in the pathogenesis of the autoimmunity of post-streptococcal rheumatic fever.

Material and Methods: The study was carried out on 40 patients (20 with active and 20 with past history of RF) as well as 20 healthy controls matched in age and sex.

The patients were selected from the Inpatient wards and the Out patients Pediatric Cardiology Clinic of the Pediatric Hospital, Ain Shams University.

All subjects had complete history and clinical examination, laboratory investigations (ESR, CRP and ASOT), chest and heart X-rays, ECG, and echocardiography.

Serum IL-10 level was estimated with ELISA.

Results: The age distribution of RF ranged between 6-16 years, with female predominance (females to males= 1.5: 1).

The incidence of patients with rheumatic arthritis (55%) was more than those with rheumatic carditis (45%).

As regards serum IL-10, there was a highly significant increase in its level in patients with acute rheumatic fever than the control group (p<0.001).

Also, there was a significant increase in its level in patients with acute rheumatic fever than those with past history of RF (p<0.05).

Moreover, there was a significant difference between patients with past history of RF (GII) and the control group (p<0.05).

This indicates that IL-10 level significantly increases during the activity of RF than in the quiescent state, but still not approaching the normal level in comparison to the control group.

IL-10 was significantly increased in patients with carditis than in patients with arthritis (p<0.05).

This indicates that the significant rise of IL-10 occurred in the more aggressive form of RF, that is carditis.

Conclusion: The present study highlights the function of IL-10 as an immunoregulatory cytokine, and its important role in the pathogenesis of RF especially rheumatic heart disease.