Evaluation of Serum Levels of Interleukin (IL)–6, IL‐10, and Tumor Necrosis Factor–α in Patients with Crimean‐Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

Abstract

We investigated the role played by cytokines in the mortality of patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Serum levels of several cytokines were measured in 3 patients with fatal CCHF and in 27 patients with nonfatal CCHF. Levels of interleukin (IL)–6 (P⩽.001) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α (P=.004) were significantly higher in patients with fatal CCHF than in patients with nonfatal CCHF, whereas levels of IL-10 were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P=.937). Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) scores were also higher in the patients with fatal CCHF (P=.023). Levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were positively correlated with DIC scores, whereas levels of IL-10 were negatively correlated with DIC scores. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that proinflammatory cytokines play a major role in the mortality of patients with CCHF