Pre Transplant Interleukin 10 Levels are Higher in Lung Recipients with Post Transplant Infections

Purpose The identification of pre-transplant biomarkers to assess the risk of post transplant infections in lung transplantation is of interest. The anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) was investigated in this study. Higher IL-10 plasma levels have been associated with prolonged CMV clearance in lung recipients. In other clinical setings higher IL-10 levels have been found to be a predictor of clinical outcome in sepsis. In this study we evaluated the relationship between pre-transplant IL-10 serum concentration and the development of infections occurring after lung transplantation. Methods In a prospective follow-up multicenter study, 87 patients in 5 centers were included to identify potential biomarkers of risk for development of post transplant infections. 82 patients were transplanted. 41 patients (50%) developed at least one infection episode that required intravenous drug therapy during the first 6 months after transplantation. Pre-transplant IL-10 was measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in blood. IL-10 levels were then correlated with the prevalence of infections. Results The distribution of post transplant infections was as follows: bacterial (67,35%), fungal (20,41%), viral (10,20%). Patients who developed infections disclosed significantly higher levels of pre-transplant serum IL-10: 43,26 ± 39,55 pg/ml vs. 21,70 ± 23,34 pg/ml; p 29 pg/ml were at higher risk of having post transplant infections (Logistic regression relative hazard 3.64 (p= 0.021; 95% confidence interval: 1.28- 10.87). Conclusion We demostrated that in lung recipients with pre-transplant higher levels of serum IL-10, the prevalence of post-transplant infections was higher which suggest a potential role of individual anti-inflammatory responses in the predisposition to infection.