title: High levels of interleukin-10 during the initial phase of fulminant meningococcal septic shock.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-10 has an important antiinflammatory effect by inhibiting endotoxin-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1. Since both cytokines are produced in massive amounts during fulminant meningococcal septic shock and are associated with severity of disease, IL-10 was measured in plasma samples of 25 consecutive children with fulminant meningococcal septic shock shortly after admittance to a pediatric intensive care unit. High levels of IL-10 (median, 6021 pg/mL; range, 137-24,600) were found in surviving patients (median, 1268 pg/mL; range, 137-24,600) and in those who died (median, 9915 pg/mL; range, 3996-14,100). IL-10 levels correlated weakly (r = .38; P = .055) with severity of disease as measured by the Glasgow meningococcal septicemia prognostic score. The findings indicate that IL-10 is produced in massive amounts in the initial phase of fulminant meningococcal septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Emma Children's Hospital (Departments of Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Derkx
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bijlmer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Deventer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016753:Interleukin-10