title: Interleukin 12 levels during the initial phase of septic shock with purpura in children: relation to severity of disease.
abstract: Plasma levels of interleukin 12 (IL-12), a cytokine consisting of two different polypeptide subunits (p40 and p35), were measured together with interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and other cytokines in 46 children with septic shock and purpura. The median (range) plasma IL-12 p40 level on admission was 457 (244-2677) pg/ml in non-survivors vs 189 (< 40-521) pg/ml in survivors (P = < 0.001). IL-12 p70 levels were elevated in only nine patients. IL-12 p40 plasma levels were positively correlated with tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and PRISM-score, whereas they were negatively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP), whole blood cell (WBC) and serum glucose levels. Twelve (29%) of the patients had detectable levels of IFN-gamma. Thus, circulating levels of IL-12 p40 and to a lesser extent those of IL-12 p70, are elevated in children with septic shock and purpura, and correlate with severity of disease and outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sophia Children's Hospital/University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. hazelzet@alkg.azr.nl
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hazelzet
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Kornelisse
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: van der Pouw Kraan
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Joosten
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Voort
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Mierlo
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Suur
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hack
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011693:Purpura / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002097:C-Reactive Protein