title: Increased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia.
abstract: Pneumonia is one of the major sites of infection in ventilated newborns. We investigated whether the cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are detectable in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia as a diagnostic marker. All 12 infants with pneumonia had elevated levels of IL-1 beta (range 30-300 pg/ml) and TNF-alpha (range 60-680 pg/ml), whereas control infants (n = 21; respiratory distress syndrome, very low birth weight or infants intubated preoperatively) had no detectable levels of IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha. In vitro investigations with mononuclear cells of umbilical cord blood were performed to rule out that exogenously added surfactant influences IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production. It is concluded that IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are important and specific mediators of neonatal pneumonia which may be of diagnostic importance.
authors.affiliation: Universitätskinderklinik Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gallati
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pohlandt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartmann
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D009000:Monocytes; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007375:Interleukin-1; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha