Serum cytokine inflammatory profile in children with ulcerative colitis during 6-month follow-up

The involvement of inflammation in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC) is significant. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to evaluate the serum levels of selected cytokines, chemokines and growth factors in children at the time of diagnosis/exacerbation of UC (T0), as well as 3 (T1) and 6 (T2) months after the introduction or change of treatment, and to assess their usefulness in predicting the course of the disease and the need for treatment intensification. Thirty-three children (study group) with UC, including 25 with new diagnoses of UC (ndUC), and 29 healthy controls (Ctr) were included in the study. Serum cytokine panels were measured at three time points: T0, T1, and T2 using multiplex ELISA method. At T0, significantly higher levels of IL-8, IL-17, eotaxin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were observed in both the UC and ndUC groups. At T1, higher levels of IL-17, eotaxin, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) were noted in the study group compared to controls. When the group was stratified according to clinical activity at 6 months, IL-17, eotaxin, and FGF levels at T0 were higher in patients who achieved Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) < 10 compared to those with PUCAI ≥ 10. However, these associations should be interpreted with caution due to the heterogeneity of treatment interventions, which likely influenced the outcomes. Our exploratory analyses indicate that serum cytokines may reflect disease activity and may help in understanding clinical outcomes in pediatric UC, although prospective studies with standardized treatment protocols are needed to confirm their predictive value.