title: Effect of sepsis syndrome on neonatal protein and energy metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was our hypothesis that septic illness would alter both protein and energy metabolism in neonates, with elevations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) serving as markers for these effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31 infants with suspected sepsis were enrolled into four groups: septic, sick-nonseptic, healthy-nonseptic, and recovered septic infants. Degree of illness, oxygen consumption, nitrogen balance, urine 3-methylhistidine/creatinine (MeH/Cr), and TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1 beta, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oxygen consumption increased, while nitrogen balance decreased and MeH/Cr increased with increasing degree of illness. Nitrogen balance improved on recovery from sepsis. IL-6 and CRP levels were elevated in septic infants compared with sick-nonseptic and healthy infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonates experience a hypermetabolic response with increased nitrogen loss during septic illness, proportional to the degree of illness. Increased delivery of protein substrate may be nutritionally advantageous to the septic neonate.
authors.affiliation: Infant Pulmonary Research Center, Children's Health Care-St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mrozek
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Georgieff
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Blazar
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mammel
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schwarzenberg
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011506:Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009584:Nitrogen