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Proinflammatory cytokines and procalcitonin in children with acute pyelonephritis

Metin Kaya Gürgöze1, Saadet Akarsu, Erdal Yilmaz

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey. mkgurgoze@yahoo.com

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|August 5, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Procalcitonin (PCT) and inflammatory cytokines accurately diagnose acute pyelonephritis in children. Elevated PCT and cytokine levels in children with urinary tract infections indicate kidney involvement.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biomarker Research

Background:

  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children.
  • Differentiating lower UTIs from acute pyelonephritis is crucial for appropriate treatment.
  • Current diagnostic methods may require improvement for early and accurate detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of procalcitonin (PCT) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha) in pediatric acute pyelonephritis.
  • To compare biomarker levels between children with acute pyelonephritis and lower UTIs.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 76 children with UTIs.
  • Diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis confirmed by technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy.
  • Serum levels of PCT, IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were measured.

Main Results:

  • Serum PCT levels were significantly higher in children with acute pyelonephritis compared to lower UTIs (p <0.001).
  • Significantly elevated levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were observed in acute pyelonephritis cases (p <0.001).
  • DMSA scintigraphy confirmed renal parenchymal involvement.

Conclusions:

  • Serum procalcitonin and proinflammatory cytokines are reliable biomarkers for diagnosing acute pyelonephritis in children.
  • These biomarkers can aid in distinguishing pyelonephritis from lower UTIs, facilitating timely intervention.

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