Correlation of urine and plasma cytokine levels among reproductive-aged women

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation 2015-05, Vol.45 (5), p.460-465
• Main Authors: Nobles, Carrie, Bertone-Johnson, Elizabeth R., Ronnenberg, Alayne G., Faraj, Joyce M., Zagarins, Sofija, Takashima-Uebelhoer, Biki B., Whitcomb, Brian W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - urine; correlation; Creatinine - blood; Creatinine - urine; cytokines; Cytokines - blood; Cytokines - urine; Female; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - blood; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - urine; Humans; Inflammation; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interferon-gamma - urine; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-10 - urine; Interleukin-12 - blood; Interleukin-12 - urine; Interleukin-13 - blood; Interleukin-13 - urine; Interleukin-1beta - blood; Interleukin-1beta - urine; Interleukin-2 - blood; Interleukin-2 - urine; Interleukin-4 - blood; Interleukin-4 - urine; Interleukin-5 - blood; Interleukin-5 - urine; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - urine; Interleukin-7 - blood; Interleukin-7 - urine; Interleukin-8 - blood; Interleukin-8 - urine; plasma; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - urine; urine; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0014-2972; 1365-2362
• DOI: 10.1111/eci.12428

Background Inflammation is implicated in many adverse health conditions, and recent interest has focused on the effects of chronic low‐grade inflammation in generally healthy populations. Cytokines measured in plasma or serum are commonly used as biomarkers of systemic levels of inflammation. Measurement of cytokines in urine may offer a simpler and less invasive alternative, although the degree to which levels of cytokines correlate in plasma and urine among healthy individuals is unknown. Materials and methods We assessed the correlation of blood and urine levels of 13 cytokines, including interleukin (IL)‐1b, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐7, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐12(p70) and IL‐13, granulocyte macrophage colony‐stimulating factor, interferon gamma and tumour necrosis factor alpha in 61 healthy women aged 18–30. Cytokine concentrations were considered with and without correction for creatinine. Results Plasma and urine levels of the 13 cytokines were not significantly correlated using measured urinary cytokine concentrations and after adjustment for creatinine. Correlation coefficients for log‐transformed cytokine concentrations in paired plasma and urine specimens ranged from −0·28 to 0·087. Conclusions These results suggest that urine has limited utility as a proxy for plasma for the measurement of inflammatory factors in a healthy population with low levels of inflammation.