Interleukin-2 and its soluble receptor in selected drug-induced cutaneous reactions.

Plasma concentrations of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and its soluble receptor (sIL-2R) were examined in 126 patients with drug-induced skin reactions: maculopapular eruptions (ME), erythema multiforme (EM), erythema multiforme coexisting with erythema nodosum (EMN), drug-induced urticaria (DU), hyperergic vasculitis (HV), Stevens-Johnsson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN). The activity of both proteins were measured using immunoenzymatic ELISA method: a) in the acute stage of disease, before treatment was administered, and b) after clearing of skin symptoms, after treatment. In the acute stage of disease highly elevated mean concentrations of IL-2 and sIL-2R in all 6 groups of patients were found (p<0.001) in comparison with the control. After clearing of skin lesions IL-2 mean concentrations were lowered to the level not different significantly from the control (p>0.05), but slL-2R mean plasma concentrations, despite the deep decrease, were still highly significantly elevated in comparison with control values (p<0.001).