Detection of Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-31 among Patients with Uremic Pruritus

Abstract

Uremic pruritus is a form of chronic itching that affects patients with advanced end-stage renal disease. It
is one of the most common symptoms in patients with end-stage renal disease, with approximately 60–90
percent of patients on hemodialysis (HD) experiencing it. The study aims to assess the role of interleukin-31
and Interleukin-2 in the pathogenesis of uremic pruritus among hemodialysis patients attending the Ebn
Sina Dialysis Center in Diyala, and Correlation between Interleukin 31 and Interleukin-2 with severity
of uremic pruritus. A study was performed from 1 Sep 2020 to 20 Jan 2021 in Ebn Sina Dialysis center,
Diyala Governorate. the study was conducted on 150 patients with CKD divided to two groups, 75 patients
with uremic pruritus and 75 patients without uremic pruritus, the control groups was 26 healthy persons.
Itch intensity was scored by VAS as mild, moderate and severe. Serum IL-31 levels and serum IL-2 levels
were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methodology. The various characteristics pf
pruritus was assessed using an interview questionnaire. MS excel package and SPSS 20 software was used
for analysis. Among 226 HD patient excluded under 20 age and hepatitis C and Hepatitis B HD patients,
33.8% had uremic pruritus. The patients with pruritus had higher serum IL-31 levels and IL-2 than those
without uremic pruritus and control groups, it was statically significant. As well as the IL-31 and IL-2
showed no significant differences among patients with mild, moderate, and severe itch. IL-31 and IL-2 play
important role in the pathogenesis of uremic pruritus. Further studies to confirm the role of cytokines in the
pathogenesis of UP.