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Accurate and Simple Measurement of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β using a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay
Published on: March 1, 2011
The repeatability of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein in COPD patients over one
Umme Kolsum1, Kay Roy, Cerys Starkey
1North West Lung Research Centre, University of Manchester, South Manchester University Hospitals Trust, Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK. ukolsum@meu.org.uk
Background:
Many of the systemic manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are mediated through increased systemic levels of inflammatory proteins. We assessed the long term repeatability of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and C-reactive protein (CRP) over one year and examined the relationships between these systemic markers in COPD.
Methods:
Fifty-eight stable COPD patients completed a baseline and one-year visit. Serum IL-6, plasma CRP, and plasma TNF-alpha were measured. Repeatability was expressed by intraclass correlation coefficient (R(i)) and the Bland-Altman method. Pearson correlations were used to determine the relationships between the systemic markers at both visits.
Results:
There was moderate repeatability with a very high degree of statistical significance (p
Conclusions:
Systemic inflammatory biomarkers IL-6, CRP, and TNF-alpha were moderately repeatable over a twelve month period in COPD patients. We have also shown that a robust and repeatable association between IL-6 and CRP exists.
