Accuracy for monitoring of the concentration of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA represents a major challenge throughout the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C. To investigate the genotype-independent efficiency and the accuracy of two real-time detection reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays; the Cobas Ampliprep/Cobas TaqMan (CAP/CTM); and the Abbott RealTime HCV (ART), a total of 184 samples with different HCV subtypes were examined; 1b (n=58), 2a (n=39), 2b (n=26), 3a (n=20), and 4 (n=41). A robust linear correlation was observed between the two assays applied to genotypes 1b, 2a, 2b, and 3a [the correlation coefficient (R) ranged from 0.99 to 0.98], but not to genotype 4 specimens (R=0.78). A significant difference in measurements of HCV RNA using CAP/CTM and ART in serum samples with genotypes 1b and 4 was observed (0.72, -0.53 log IU/ml, P<0.0001, 0.01, respectively). A robust correlation was observed between the HCV core antigen and HCV RNA values by either of the HCV RNA quantitation assays applied to all genotypes with exception of genotype 4, for which R was higher with ART (R=0.95) than with CAP/CTM (R=0.80). The lower limit of detection of CAP/CTM and ART were 41.4 and 28.5 IU/ml using the WHO standards, respectively. In conclusion, two RT-PCR assays had a high efficiency and accuracy for quantitation of HCV RNA of genotypes 2a, 2b, and 3a, but the mean values of HCV RNA differed for genotype 1b and 4.

AimThe aim of the study was to assess serum levels of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-10 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their relationship with disease activity. Patients and methodsThirty patients with SLE and 20 healthy controls were investigated in this study. The serum IL-18 and IL-10 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and their correlations with the disease activity were measured using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and laboratory parameters, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-ds DNA antibody, complement 3, and complement 4 levels were analyzed. ResultsThe serum IL-18 and serum IL-10 levels were significantly higher (mean values 1770.2 ± 360.4 and 842.65 ± 315.37 pg/ml for IL-18 and IL-10, respectively) in SLE patients compared with the controls (110.65 ± 30.37 vs. 76 ± 14.2 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0.001). The increase in serum levels of IL-18 and IL-10 directly and significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.404, P = 0.037). Furthermore, such an increase in the levels of these two cytokines showed a highly significant positive correlation with the SLEDAI scores and anti-ds DNA in the studied patients (P < 0.001). ConclusionThe circulating IL-18 and IL-10 concentrations were significantly elevated in SLE patients and correlated with the SLEDAI score. The study emphasized that there exists an upregulated proinflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory responses in patients with active SLE; however, the anti-inflammatory response is not enough to suppress the active disease. Identifying the exact contribution of the currently studied cytokines might provide future insights for targeted therapeutic strategies in SLE.[Downloaded free from http://www.err.eg.net on Sunday, June 07, 2015, IP: 49.204.26.195] Serum IL-18 and IL-10 in