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Serum interleukin-2 receptor in infants and young children
K N Chan1, A D Phillips, J A Walker-Smith
1Academic Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, London, UK.
Insights
Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) is high in young children, decreasing with age. This finding suggests IL-2R is not a reliable inflammation marker in pediatric gastrointestinal conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) is a marker associated with immune system activation.
- Its utility as an indicator of gastrointestinal inflammation in children requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate serum IL-2R concentrations in children undergoing small bowel biopsy.
- To determine the correlation between IL-2R levels, age, and gastrointestinal diagnoses.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from 102 children with various gastrointestinal symptoms were analyzed for IL-2R.
- IL-2R concentrations were compared between children with and without gastrointestinal disease.
- Age-related changes and specific diagnostic group differences were assessed.
Main Results:
- Healthy young children exhibited high IL-2R concentrations, inversely correlated with age.
- Children with gastrointestinal diagnoses generally showed elevated IL-2R levels.
- Cow's milk sensitive enteropathy patients had IL-2R levels comparable to age-matched controls.
Conclusions:
- Elevated IL-2R in young, healthy children indicates it is not a clinically useful marker for inflammation in this demographic.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of IL-2R in specific pediatric gastrointestinal conditions.
Abstract:
Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) concentrations were measured in 110 serum samples from 102 children undergoing routine small bowel biopsy for a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms. Young children in the control group who had no gastrointestinal disease and a normal intestinal mucosa were found to have high concentrations of IL-2R. There was a significant inverse relationship between IL-2R concentration and age in the control group. Children with a gastrointestinal diagnosis appeared to have increased IL-2R concentrations, although some of the diagnostic groups were too small in size for statistical analysis. Children with cow's milk sensitive enteropathy had IL-2R concentrations equivalent to those of age-matched controls. High concentrations of IL-2R in young healthy children implies that serum IL-2R is of no clinical use as an index of inflammation in this age group.