Published date: Jun 30 2021

Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 16 (2021), Issue No. 2

Pages: 276–284

DOI: 10.18502/sjms.v16i2.9294

Mohamed Abdelrhman EltahirDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan

Kawthar Abdelgaleil MohammedsalihDepartment of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan

Elhaj Noureldien MohamedDepartment of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan

Faisal Makki BabekirBlood Bank and Laboratory Department, Al-Amal Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan

Amar Mohamed IsmailDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, AlNeelain University, Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with abnormal liver tests, and the medications used for RA are often hepatotoxic. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate an association between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and liver function tests in RA patients.

Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 88 RA patients were included, 84 of them were women and 4 men, aged 21–81 years. Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-17 (IL-17), Osteopontin (OPN) were measured and liver function tests were conducted.

Results: The frequency of RA was higher among adults aged >41 years (72 [81.8%]) than young adults aged ≤41 years (16 [18.2%]). RA was more common in women (84 [95.5%]) than in men (4 [4.5%]) – approximately 21:1-fold. Young adults had higher abnormal IL-10 than adult RA patients (OR = 3.72, p-value 0.044). Abnormal IL-17 (OR = 5.67, p-value 0.034) was found to be increased in young-adult RA patients. No association was observed between age and OPN and between the duration of disease and IL-10, IL-17, and OPN. Similarly, no association was noted between the types of treatment and IL-10, IL-17, and OPN, nor between IL-10, IL-17, OPN and liver parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, ALB, TP, and GGT).

Conclusion: Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines are not associated with abnormal liver functions, as has been demonstrated in RA patients.

Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, interleukin, liver function tests, cytokines

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