Study of Immunological Parameters as Diagnostic Markers in Patients with Chronic Prostatitis

Abstract Background: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is the most frequent urologic condition in men under the age of 50. It is characterized by a wide range of painful and inflammatory symptoms in the lower back, testes, rectum, scrotum, perineum, and pelvis. Objectives: The study aims to investigate the role of immunological and inflammatory parameters in the diagnosis of CP. Materials and Methods: This case–control study involved a population of CP patients and healthy individuals. Forty samples were collected from patients suspected of CP according to their clinical manifestations, with ages ranging from 17 to 62 years. Patients were diagnosed by specialist physicians. In addition, 50 venous blood samples were taken from apparently healthy individuals as a control group. The study was carried out during the period from December 2022 to June 2023 in the urology and microbiology departments at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, and Hilla Teaching Hospital. Results: The mean age of patients was 35.57 ± 8.81 years, and that of control subjects was 33.24 ± 9.55 years, and there was no significant difference between patients with CP and control subjects in mean age ( P = 0.236). Mean levels of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) were 133.17 ± 12.40 and 63.94 ± 8.67 in patients with CP and healthy control subjects, respectively; there was a highly significant increase in patients with CP in comparison with healthy controls. Mean levels of serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were 981.05 ± 65.51 and 1318.74 ± 80.15 in patients with CP and healthy control subjects, respectively; there was a significant decrease in MCP-1 levels in patients with CP in comparison with healthy controls. Mean levels of serum macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) were 269.59 ± 24.64 and 374.27 ± 21.99 in patients with CP and healthy control subjects, respectively; there was a significant decrease in patients with CP in comparison with healthy controls. Conclusion: The present results indicate IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1α are considered acceptable diagnostic markers.