title: Contribution of interleukin-6 in distinguishing between mild respiratory disease and neonatal sepsis in the newborn infant.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate if early samples of interleukin-6 (IL-6) could distinguish early bacterial sepsis from respiratory diseases in the newborn. IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at onset of symptoms in newborns evaluated for sepsis during the first week of life. Five groups of children were investigated: proven sepsis, clinical sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), transient tachypnoea of the newborn (TTN) and controls. IL-6 was also analysed at the time when CRP was at its maximum level. The results showed that initial IL-6 distinguished proven and clinical sepsis from TTN, but not from RDS. Initial CRP was of no value for diagnosis. Our conclusion is that early IL-6 makes it possible to avoid antibiotics in children with TTN and contributes to the diagnosis of sepsis faster than CRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Västerås Medical Centre Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Källman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekholm
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schollin
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein