title: Plasma interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor levels as predictors of disease severity and outcome in necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: Plasma tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of 18 infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) were measured at the time of diagnosis or on transfer to a paediatric surgical unit. Whereas TNF levels were similar for infants managed medically (stage II, n = 8) and surgically (stage III, n = 7), IL-6 levels were significantly higher in stage III cases (mean, 3,127 pg/mL [95% CI, 1,809 to 4,445 pg/mL]) than in stage II (mean, 127 pg/mL [95% CI, 10 to 329 pg/mL]; P = .001). Neither TNF nor IL-6 level predicted eventual outcome. Plasma IL-6 may be useful as an indication for operation in NEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Child Health, London, England.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Morecroft
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spitz
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha