Umbilical cord blood interleukin-6 levels and neonatal morbidity.
OBJECTIVE
To study umbilical cord interleukin-6 levels and the occurrence of neonatal sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and grade II-IV intraventricular hemorrhage.


METHODS
Umbilical cord blood was collected from 133 preterm newborns. The study population was divided according to the presence or absence of neonatal complications. Interleukin-6 levels and clinical characteristics were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
Sixteen neonates had adverse outcomes, and 117 were unaffected. The median interleukin-6 level was significantly higher in affected than in unaffected infants (145 pg/mL versus 0 pg/mL, P = .002). Elevated interleukin-6 levels were associated independently with neonatal morbidity in multiple logistic regression modeling that included gestational age, birth weight, and antenatal steroid exposure.


CONCLUSIONS
Umbilical cord blood interleukin-6 levels are elevated in neonates who subsequently develop sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, or grade II-IV intraventricular hemorrhage.
Weeks
J W
JW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Medical Center-Shreveport, 71130-3932, USA. jweeks1@mail.sh.lsumc.edu
Reynolds
L
L
Taylor
D
D
Lewis
J
J
Wan
T
T
Gall
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D009017:Morbidity; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy
D015850:Interleukin-6