Serum expression levels and clinical value of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6 in elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients aged 60 years and older

doi:10.19982/j.issn.1000-6621.20260038

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective: To evaluate the expression levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, and analyze the diagnostic value of individual and combined detection of these three indicators. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. Clinical data were collected from 475 suspected elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients aged ≥60 years admitted to Lanzhou Pulmonary Hospital from 2023 to 2025. The data included baseline data, imaging findings, etiological results, biochemical tests as well as serum IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6 results. Subjects were divided into pulmonary tuberculosis group and non-tuberculosis group based on final clinical diagnosis. Difference in expression levels of the three cytokines between two groups were compared, and the clinical auxiliary value of detecting serum IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-6 individually or in combination for diagnosing elderly pulmonary tuberculosis was evaluated. Results: Among 475 elderly subjects, 234 were clinically diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and 241 were non-tuberculosis patients. Serum expression levels of IFN-γ (23.14 (2.73, 95.52) pg/ml), IL-2 (17.64 (1.57, 115.05) pg/ml) and IL-6 (19.14 (6.85, 60.86) pg/ml) in tuberculosis group were significantly higher than those in non-tuberculosis group (1.29 (0.00, 5.31), 1.97 (0.00, 7.46), 7.00 (2.18, 16.49) pg/ml), with statistically significant differences (Z=120.866, 80.050, 31.786, Ps<0.001). The sensitivities of single testing for IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6 were 59.83% (140/234), 55.56% (130/234) and 56.84% (133/234), specificities were 83.40% (201/241), 84.65% (204/241) and 74.69% (180/241), accuracies were 71.79% (341/475), 70.32% (334/475) and 65.89% (313/475), and corresponding AUC values were 0.74, 0.71 and 0.69 respectively. For combined testing, the sensitivities of IFN-γ+IL-2, IFN-γ+IL-6, IL-2+IL-6 and three-marker panel were 58.97% (138/234), 73.93% (173/234), 67.52% (158/234) and 77.78% (182/234). Their specificities were 90.87% (219/241), 73.86% (178/241), 80.91% (195/241) and 83.40% (201/241), and their accuracies were 75.16% (357/475), 73.89% (351/475), 74.32% (353/475) and 80.63% (383/475). AUC values were 0.76, 0.80, 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. Conclusion: The serum expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-6 in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were significantly higher than those in non-tuberculosis patients. The combined testing of three markers demonstrated markedly superior diagnostic performance compared to single testing, offering significant clinical value for the auxiliary diagnosis of elderly pulmonary tuberculosis cases.

Key words: Aged, Tuberculous, pulmonary, Interferons, Interleukin, Diagnosis

CLC Number:

R521

Wei Daijue, Deng Mingkun, Chen Yan, Yang Zengwei, Tong Chongxiang. Serum expression levels and clinical value of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6 in elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients aged 60 years and older[J]. Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis, 2026, 48(8): 1170-1175. doi: 10.19982/j.issn.1000-6621.20260038

Figures/Tables 5

References 19

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特征	肺结核组(234例)	非结核组(241例)	χ²值	P值
性别			2.788	0.096
男性	124(52.99)	146(60.58)
女性	110(47.01)	95(39.42)
年龄组(岁)			0.833	0.643
60~69	109(46.58)	102(42.32)
70~79	91(38.89)	102(42.32)
≥80	34(14.53)	37(15.36)
体质量指数(kg/m²)			1.071	0.585
<18.5	38(16.24)	32(13.28)
18.5~23.9	133(56.84)	137(56.85)
≥24.0	63(26.92)	72(29.87)

指标	肺结核组(234例)	非结核组(241例)	Z值	P值
IFN-γ	23.14(2.73,95.52)	1.29(0.00,5.31)	120.866	<0.001
IL-2	17.64(1.57,115.05)	1.97(0.00,7.46)	80.050	<0.001
IL-6	19.14(6.85,60.86)	7.00(2.18,16.49)	31.786	<0.001

检测方法	临床诊断		敏感度 (%)	特异度 (%)	阳性预测值(%)	阴性预测值(%)	准确率 (%)	约登指数	AUC (95%CI)
检测方法	肺结核	非结核	敏感度 (%)	特异度 (%)	阳性预测值(%)	阴性预测值(%)	准确率 (%)	约登指数	AUC (95%CI)
IFN-γ(pg/ml)			59.83 (140/234)	83.40 (201/241)	77.78 (140/180)	68.14 (201/295)	71.79 (341/475)	0.43	0.74 (0.69~0.78)
≥7	140	40
<7	94	201
IL-2(pg/ml)			55.56 (130/234)	84.65 (204/241)	77.84 (130/167)	66.23 (204/308)	70.32 (334/475)	0.40	0.71 (0.66~0.76)
≥20	130	37
<20	104	204
IL-6(pg/ml)			56.84 (133/234)	74.69 (180/241)	68.56 (133/194)	64.06 (180/281)	65.89 (313/475)	0.31	0.69 (0.65~0.74)
≥7	133	61
<7	101	180
IFN-γ+IL-2			58.97 (138/234)	90.87 (219/241)	86.25 (138/160)	69.52 (219/315)	75.16 (357/475)	0.49	0.76 (0.72~0.81)
	138	22
	96	219
IFN-γ+IL-6			73.93 (173/234)	73.86 (178/241)	73.31 (173/236)	74.48 (178/239)	73.89 (351/475)	0.48	0.80 (0.77~0.84)
	173	63
	61	178
IL-2+IL-6			67.52 (158/234)	80.91 (195/241)	77.45 (158/204)	71.96 (195/271)	74.32 (353/475)	0.48	0.81 (0.77~0.85)
	158	46
	76	195
IFN-γ+IL-2+IL-6			77.78 (182/234)	83.40 (201/241)	81.98 (182/222)	79.45 (201/253)	80.63 (383/475)	0.53	0.83 (0.78~0.86)
	182	40
	52	201