Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2013; 19(25): 4001-4006
Published online Jul 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i25.4001
Cytokine profiles in patients receiving antioxidant therapy within the ANTICIPATE trial
Nehal Shah, Ajith K Siriwardena
Nehal Shah, Ajith K Siriwardena, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Siriwardena AK designed research; Shah N and Siriwardena AK performed research, analyzed data and wrote the paper.
Supported by An Unrestricted Academic Grant from Pharma Nord, Morpeth, United Kingdom
Correspondence to: Ajith Siriwardena, MD, FRCS, Professor, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom. ajith.siriwardena@cmft.nhs.uk
Telephone: +44-161-2768886 Fax: +44-161-2764530
Received: February 16, 2013
Revised: March 27, 2013
Accepted: April 10, 2013
Published online: July 7, 2013
Processing time: 140 Days and 12 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: This study examines cytokine levels in a sub-set of patients recruited from within the ANTICIPATE randomized controlled trial of antox for painful chronic pancreatitis. At baseline, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels were within the laboratory reference range in patients allocated to the antioxidant arm and those allocated to placebo. After 6 mo of intervention with antox, there was a significant elevation in antioxidant levels in patients in the active treatment arm. This was not associated with any change in either pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. In patients with chronic pancreatitis, with opiate-dependent abdominal pain, circulating cytokine levels are low suggesting that pain in this disease is not simply a manifestation of inflammation.