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Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 in infants with sepsis

Praveen Makhija1, Sangita Yadav, Archana Thakur

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi 110 002, India.

Indian Pediatrics
|November 5, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) indicate infant sepsis. TNF-alpha decrease suggests survival, while IL-6 increase correlates with severe sepsis and mortality in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of infant mortality.
  • Early diagnosis and prognostic markers are crucial for improving outcomes.
  • Cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6 are key inflammatory mediators in sepsis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in infant sepsis.
  • To examine the relationship between initial and changing cytokine levels and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 32 infants with suspected sepsis.
  • Measurement of serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels at admission and 48-72 hours.
  • Correlation of cytokine levels with clinical outcomes (sepsis, septic shock, survival).

Main Results:

  • Infants with sepsis exhibited significantly higher TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels than controls.
  • Decreased TNF-alpha levels were observed in sepsis, septic shock, and survivors.
  • Non-survivors showed no significant change in TNF-alpha.
  • Higher initial IL-6 levels were noted in septic shock and non-survivors.
  • IL-6 levels increased in sepsis, septic shock, and non-survivors at 48 hours.

Conclusions:

  • TNF-alpha and IL-6 are valuable biomarkers for infant sepsis diagnosis and prognosis.
  • Changes in TNF-alpha levels may predict survival in infants with sepsis.
  • Elevated and increasing IL-6 levels are associated with severe sepsis and mortality.

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