INTERLEUKIN-6 LEVEL ALTERATION IN NON-INFECTIOUS ALLERGIC ASTHMATIC, ALLERGIC PERMANENT COUGHING PATIENT AND HEALTHY CONTROL IN BAGHDAD CITY
A prominent increase in allergic respiratory diseases were recorded in the last three decades among Iraqi population. Environment of Iraq was highly polluted during the same period. It has been recorded that environmental pollution is one of the most important factors which adversely affect immune system of human. Interleukin-6 is a multifunctional cytokine that plays an important role in host and patho-physiology of respiratory system , the present study aimed to evaluate IL-6 serum level as immune parameter in group of patients with allergic respiratory problems beside a group of healthy controls. A total of 51 patients (Al- Zahraa center ) grouped as 39 allergic asthmatic, and 12 allergic permanent coughing patients beside a group of 20 healthy control were tested for serum IL-6 level using sandwich method ELISA technique. The mean level of serum IL-6 was (62.35± 30.37) pg/ ml, (8.71± 5.27) pg/ ml and (21.85±6.2) pg/ ml in allergic asthmatic, permanent allergic coughing patients and healthy control respectively with presence of statistically significant difference,(P ≤ 0.05) between patients and control groups. The result of the present study reflect alteration in IL-6 serum levels in both patients and healthy control. Our conclusion suggest the presence of chronic environmental air pollution which might affect the function of some immune cells in groups of patients and healthy control tested in the present study.