Interleukin-6 and some acute phase proteins plasma activity in drug-induced maculopapular eruptions.

The evaluation of inflammatory response in drug-induced maculopapular eruption was the aim of the study. Plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and alpha-2 macroglobulin (alpha-2 MG) were measured in 40 patients with maculopapular eruptions using the immunoenzymatic ELISA method in acute stage of disease and after clearing of skin lesions due to effective therapy. In the acute stage of the disease mean plasma levels of the examined proteins were highly significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in comparison with healthy control. Regression of the clinical symptoms was connected with the deep decrease of protein concentrations in the peripheral blood. After treatment the plasma levels of IL-6 and alpha-2 MG were lowered towards the control values (p > 0.05), but CRP despite its deep decrease was still highly significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in comparison with control. The results of this study indicate that in drug-induced maculopapular eruptions the acute phase response can be initiated and that the observed increased activity of the examined proteins lasts longer than the clinical symptoms of the disease.