Interleukin-8 is increased in cerebrospinal fluid of children with severe head injury.
OBJECTIVE
To determine interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid from children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
University children's hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-seven children hospitalized with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score < or =8), seven children with cerebrospinal fluid culture-positive bacterial meningitis, and twenty-four age-equivalent controls.


METHODS
Placement of an intraventricular catheter and continuous drainage of cerebrospinal fluid.


RESULTS
Median [range] cerebrospinal fluid IL-8 concentration in children with TBI (0-12 hrs) (4,452.5 [0-20,000] pg/mL) was markedly greater than that in controls (14.5 [0-250]) (p < .0001) and equivalent to concentrations in children with meningitis (5,300 [1,510-22,000] pg/mL) (p = .33). Cerebrospinal fluid IL-8 remained increased in children with severe TBI for up to 108 hrs after injury. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated an association between cerebrospinal fluid IL-8 and child abuse (p = .07) and mortality (p = .01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a strong, independent association between cerebrospinal fluid IL-8 and mortality (p = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
The data are consistent with an acute inflammatory component of TBI in children and suggest an association between cerebrospinal fluid IL-8 and outcome after TBI. IL-8 may represent a potential target for anti-inflammatory therapy.
Whalen
M J
MJ
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Carlos
T M
TM
Kochanek
P M
PM
Wisniewski
S R
SR
Bell
M J
MJ
Clark
R S
RS
DeKosky
S T
ST
Marion
D W
DW
Adelson
P D
PD
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8