Association between Inflammatory Cytokines and Liver Functions in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

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