title: Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha in neonatal sepsis.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is thought to be an important mediator in the pathogenesis of neonatal septicemia. To assess the role of TNF-alpha in neonatal sepsis, serum levels of TNF-alpha were measured in a group of neonates with septicemia and compared with the levels of gestational-postnatal, age-matched healthy controls. The relationships between severity of infection, the nature of causative microorganisms, and TNF-alpha levels were also investigated in this prospective study. A total of 49 infants (25 full-term, 24 preterm) with proven sepsis and 40 healthy infants (20 full-term, 20 preterm) were included. Serum TNF-alpha levels were measured using the TNF-alpha immunoradiometric assay. The median level of TNF-alpha was found to be significantly higher in infants suffering from sepsis (154 pg/mL) particularly in those with septic shock (242.5 pg/mL) as compared to healthy controls (61.5 pg/mL) (p < 0.001). No correlation was found between TNF-alpha and postnatal ages, gestational ages or birth weights of the infants. TNF-alpha levels were not different in surviving and terminal neonates. Although serum, TNF-alpha levels were found to be slightly higher in gram-negative septicemia, the difference was not significant. These findings suggest that TNF-alpha plays an important role in the pathophysiology of neonatal septicemia, but its importance as a prognostic factor is not yet clear.
authors.affiliation: Cukurova University Medical Faculty Department of Pediatrics, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atici
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetíner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yaman
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha