title: Serum levels of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in bacterial and viral infections, and in atypical pneumonia.
abstract: Serum granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was measured with an ELISA method in patients with acute bacterial and viral infections, or with an atypical pneumonia. Before initiation of antibiotic treatment, G-CSF was found to be significantly increased (799 +/- 1501 ng/l) in sera from 34 patients with an acute bacterial infection compared with the 27 patients with a viral infection (58 +/- 34 ng/l; P < 0.001) and with the eight patients with an atypical pneumonia (60 +/- 33) ng/l; P < 0.001). No significant difference in G-CSF levels was seen between gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. In septic shock, increased G-CSF levels were seen both in patients with leucocytosis and leucopenia. In uncomplicated bacterial infections, both G-CSF and IL-6 were increased on day 0, and decreased rapidly after initiation of antibacterial therapy and before the patients became afebrile. In bacterial infections on day 0, G-CSF levels correlated with mononuclear cells (rs = -0.62, P < 0.001), IL-6 (rs = 0.40, P < 0.05) and S-MPO (rs = -0.5, P < 0.01). In viral infections, G-CSF was correlated with mononuclear cells (rs = 0.41, P < 0.05), white blood cell counts (rs = 0.56, P < 0.01), neutrophils (rs = 0.41, P < 0.05) and CRP (rs = 0.47, P < 0.05). We conclude that G-CSF is rapidly raised in the blood in acute bacterial infections but not in acute viral infections or in infections with Mycoplasma pneumonia. Our results also support the theory that G-CSF is involved in the mechanisms of mobilization of neutrophils into the peripheral circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University, University Hospital Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pauksen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elfman
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ulfgren
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venge
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007700:Kinetics; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000097:blood*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D009195:Peroxidase; D007781:Lactoferrin