Serum concentrations of cytokines in patients with Hodgkin's disease

Serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) were measured in 24 untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease and in 24 healthy volunteers matched for age and sex. Serum levels of IL-1 alpha were significantly higher in patients with Hodgkin's disease. The number of patients with detectable serum IL-2 or IL-6 levels was significantly higher in patients with Hodgkin's disease as compared to the control group. No difference was observed for TNF. IL-4 was undetectable in all patients. Serum cytokine levels were not significantly different in patients with and without systemic "B" symptoms (weight loss or fever and night sweats) in the different histological subtypes and clinical stages. Serum concentrations of IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF were not correlated to the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogenaemia or thrombocyte number. These results indicate that subsets of patients with Hodgkin's disease have detectable serum IL-1 alpha, IL-2 and IL-6 levels, but that other mediators are likely to be involved in the associated clinical and biological inflammatory syndrome.