Dysregulation of IL-4 and IL-6 in Acute Gastritis: A Case-Control Study

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

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Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Acute gastritis (AG) is a common inflammatory condition of the gastric mucosa, yet the roles of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in its pathogenesis remain poorly characterized. Objective: To evaluate serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6 as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AG. Methodology: A case-control study was conducted to compare 50 patients with AG and 46 healthy controls. Serum cytokine levels were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using ROC curves, and cytokine interactions were analyzed via correlation tests. Results: Patients with AG exhibited significantly lower IL-4 than controls (234.1 ± 35.6 ng/mL vs. 347.18 ± 36.7 ng/mL; p = 0.001), and higher IL-6 than controls (77.04 ± 18.3 ng/mL vs. 43.24 ± 11.57 ng/mL; p = 0.001). IL-4 outperformed IL-6 diagnostically (AUC = 0.809 vs. 0.738; sensitivity 82% vs. 74%). A negative IL-4/IL-6 correlation (r = -0.322, p = 0.019) was observed, independent of H. pylori infection (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Acute gastritis is characterized by low levels of IL-4 and IL-6 elevation, indicating cytokine dysregulation as a core pathogenic mechanism. Targeting this imbalance may offer novel therapeutic strategies.

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