Table 3. Cytokines and inflammatory mediators in the plasma of individuals with normal and low BMI.

BMI	IFN-γ	IL-12	IL-2	IL-4	IL-5	IL-13	IL-10	IL-33	TNF-α	IL-8	CRP
≥18.5	21.7±4.2	22.6±6.0	2.3±0.6	0.13±0.03	3.9±0.7	23.7±8.3	2.8±0.7	0.0±16.3	11.8±3.9	3.8±0.6	9942±2760
16.5–18.4	21.7±5.6	18.7±5.5	1.7±0.9	0.10±0.03	2.5±0.3	26.7±5.8	2.6±4.3	0.0±12.2	19.0±3.0	1.5±0.5	3122±4053
<16.5	58.9±19.2	61.1±19.5	8.7±3.2	0.33±0.08	7.8±1.9	75.6±19.8	8.0±3.6	161.2±68.9	47.6±10.2	2.2±0.3	965±3807
p values (Kruskal Wallis)	0.0024	0.0085	0.0085	0.0031	0.0080	0.0042	0.0186	0.0008	0.0029	0.2341	0.4799
Correlation (BMI vs cytokines) p values (spearman)	0.0175	0.0189	0.0291	0.0266	0.0309	0.0437	0.0284	0.0065	0.0387	0.4652	0.3060

The plasma from individuals with normal BMI (n = 17) and low BMI (n = 23, of which 9 were moderately malnourished and 14 were severely malnourished) was tested by Luminex (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12, IL-4, IL-5, IL13, IL-10, IL-33 and TNF-α) or by ELISA (IL-8 and CRP). Correlations between BMI and the different cytokine were assessed using a Spearman rank test. Statistical differences in cytokine levels between individuals with a normal BMI, moderately malnourished and severely malnourished individuals were established using a Kruskal-Wallis test.