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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Relationship between cytokine IL 6 levels and early-onset neonatal morbidity
1Faculty of Health and Social Studies, South Bohemian University, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. hanzl@nemcb.cz
Abstract:
Perinatal infections exert considerably negative effects on morbidity and mortality of newborns.
Hypothesis:
elevations of cytokine IL levels may be used as a marker of early-onset neonatal infections.
Targets:
to establish relationships between elevated IL 6 cytokine levels and neonatal morbidity (cranial and pulmonary).
Methods:
examinations of the umbilical blood for IL 6 values in 392 newborns weighing under 1500 g treated in Ceské Budĕjovice at the Intensive Care Unit and Unit of Intensive Care and Resuscitation.
Results:
a statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between elevations of cytokine IL 6 levels and pulmonary morbidity in newborns.
Discussion:
the authors recommend examination of cytokine IL levels in the umbilical blood with a possibility to acquire the result within 2 hours after the delivery, which makes neonatologists possible to initiate goal-directed antibiotic therapy.
