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Aim. To study the blood serum interleukin-6 (IL) and circulating immune complexes (CIC) levels in patients with ulcerous colitis (UC), depending on the severity of disease attack, colonic inflammation dissemination, and presence of abenteric manifestations. Materials and methods. One hundred patients with UC in the phase of active inflammation were examined. Blood serum IL-6 and CIC concentrations were studied with IFA method. Results. 88,5 % of UC patients in the phase of active inflammation showed an elevated mean IL-6 index, 80 % had increased CIC concentration as compared with normal values. The highest IL-6 and CIC levels were obtained in case of severe forms of disease (11,50 (7,30–23,65) pg/ml and 115,50 (105,00–118,00), respectively); CIC and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with abenteric manifestations and frequently relapsing course in comparison with patients, having rare UC relapses (p < 0,005). Strong direct correlations of IL-6 and CIC with each other (r = 0,65; p = 0,001) as well as with the severity of pathological changes in the colon were established. Conclusions. Among patients with UC, significantly elevated blood serum IL-6 and CIC concentrations were determined. Patients with severe attack of disease as well as those with abenteric manifestations and frequent relapses demonstrated reliably higher levels of these indices. It is recommended to use determination of blood serum IL-6 and CIC levels as an available and informative method, permitting to estimate the degree of severity of inflammatory process in the colonic wall among patients with ulcerous colitis.

Aim. To study the possibility of using MELD scale for determining the degree of severity of hepatic cirrhosis (HC) and determine its diagnostic characteristics. Materials and methods. Thirty patients with HC, including 15 patients with compensated HC stage (class A+B) by Child-Pugh scale and 15 persons with decompensated HC (class C), were examined. Total blood bilirubin and creatinine concentrations were assessed, INR and MELD index were calculated. Results. Meld index with use of total bilirubin, creatinine indices and INR is increasing as HC is progressing from 5 at the compensated stage to 26 at the decompensated stage ( p < 0,001) and directly correlates with the degree of severity of cirrhosis, estimated by Child-Pugh scale ( r = 0,64; p = 0,005). The threshold value of MELD index to differentiate the compensated HC stage from the decompensated one was 11. Conclusions. Design parameter of MELD permits to differentiate the degrees of HC severity with sensitivity equal to 73,3 % and specificity - 84,6 %. When MELD index is less than or equal to 11, the compensated stage of HC is diagnosed, when it exceeds 11, the decompensated cirrhosis is specified.