title: Interleukin-8 and procalcitonin in early diagnosis of early severe bacterial infection in critically ill neonates.
abstract: We studied the value of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and procalcitonin (PCT) in the early diagnosis of early severe bacterial infection in 58 critically ill ventilated neonates. ELISA was used for determining IL-8 and immunoluminometric assay for PCT. IL-8 and PCT were compared with routinely used serum C-reactive protein (CRP). Neonates were divided into four groups: Ia--proven severe bacterial infection (n = 9), Ib--clinical sepsis (n = 16), II--respiratory distress without bacterial infection (n = 12), and III--various types of neonatal distress (n = 21). Sera were collected on admission, at 24 h and 48 h after admission. There was no significant difference between groups Ia and Ib for either parameter at any time interval. Significant difference was found between group Ia+b (septic neonates) and group II for PCT and CRP at 24 and 48 h, but not for IL-8. There was no difference between group Ia+b and group III except for CRP at 24 h. Diagnostic accuracy was best for PCT on admission and for CRP at 24 h. Serum PCT and IL-8 are not specific markers for early severe bacterial infection in critically ill neonates and are not better than CRP.
authors.affiliation: Lek, Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company, d.d., Research and Development, Medical Research, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonac
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derganc
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wraber
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hojker
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D016209:Interleukin-8; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide