title: Inflammatory cytokine and nitric oxide responses in pediatric sepsis and organ failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship of circulating proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations to nitric oxide and organ failure in pediatric sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric intensive care unit (ICU), children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients with a diagnosis of sepsis admitted to the pediatric ICU. Twelve uninfected critically iII patients served as controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and nitrite/nitrate concentrations were measured and compared with an index of organ failure daily for 3 days after presentation with the sepsis syndrome. Children with increased plasma IL-6 concentrations (n = 6) had increased plasma nitrite/nitrate concentrations (p < 0.01 on each day), increased organ failure scores (p < .05 on days 1 and 3), and the highest plasma IL-10 concentrations (p < .05 on days 1 and 3, p = .054 on day 2) when compared with children with sepsis and undetectable IL-6 concentrations. Children with sepsis and detectable IL-6 concentrations, and children with undetectable IL-6 concentrations, both had increased nitrite/nitrate concentrations (p < .005 on days 1 through 3) and increased IL-10 concentrations (p < .05 on days 1 and 2) compared with controls. Children with increased IL-6 concentrations had higher organ failure on each day (p < .01), and children with undetectable IL-6 concentrations had higher organ failure on days 1 and 2 only (p < .005) when compared with controls. Organ failure improved over time in the children with undetectable IL-6 concentrations (p < .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased plasma nitrite/nitrates and increased organ failure scores occurred in the children with sepsis who had an exaggerated proinflammatory state, despite a pronounced anti-inflammatory response. When the anti-inflammatory response predominated and the proinflammatory state was dampened, organ failure status improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Doughty
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carcillo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D016753:Interleukin-10; D009569:Nitric Oxide