[Clinical evaluation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in prostatic secretions for chronic prostatitis].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical significance of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha( TNF-alpha) in expressed prostatic secretions(EPS) for chronic prostatitis.

METHODS

Prostatic secretions IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were evaluated for 34 patients with chronic prostatitis, 10 with asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, 12 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 8 health controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

IL-1beta and TNF-alpha levels in EPS in the patients of chronic prostatitis with WBC > or = 10/HP and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis were obviously higher than those of chronic prostatitis with WBC < 10/HP, BPH and health controls, (P < 0.05 and P < 0.02). There was a correlation between IL-1beta and TNF-alpha (P < 0.003) but none between WBC and IL-1beta or TNF-alpha.

CONCLUSION

Cytokines are frequently elevated in EPS in men of chronic prostatitis with high WBC and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, which provides a novel means different from traditional methods based on WBC for the identification of men with chronic prostatitis.