Serum interleukin-10 level in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A meta-analysis

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a key anti-inflammatory cytokine, and it is associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the relationship between serum IL-10 level and IBD remains controversial. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software. Articles were gathered by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Chinese Biomedical Database. Relevant studies were examined to identify their eligibility. Finally, eight studies met the inclusion criteria; these studies consisted of 211 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 134 patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD), and 131 healthy control subjects. The IL-10 levels in the serum samples of UC patients significantly increased (pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08-1.03, P = 0.022). No significant association was observed in both adult (>17 years old) and pediatric (<17 years old) UC patients in a subgroup analysis performed in terms of age among all UC patients. The relationship between serum IL-10 concentration and UC patients did not differ as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and no significant differences were observed when Bio-Plex technology and Luminex assay were used for analyses. There is no statistical difference of serum IL-10 levels between patients with UC and CD. Results suggest that the IL-10 levels increased in UC patients compared with the control group, and such increase contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of UC. Therefore, serum IL-10 level may be a noninvasive biomarker for UC patients.