The current role of colony-stimulating factors in prevention and treatment of neonatal sepsis.
OBJECTIVE
To review the role of colony-stimulating factors as adjuncts in the therapy of neonatal sepsis.


METHODS
Data provided by animal experiments and in vitro experiments in human neonates demonstrate the inability of newborn infants to significantly upregulate colony-stimulating factor expression during infectious challenge. In a few clinical trials, exogenous administration of colony-stimulating factors has been associated with reduced neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, reviewing the existing data on colony-stimulating factor administration in neonates, evidence for efficacy and benefit of these adjuncts in treating neonatal sepsis still appears to be poor.


CONCLUSIONS
Further randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, particularly for the subgroups of premature infants or infants with neutropenia, are urgently warranted before routine application of these cytokines can be recommended.
Banerjea
M C
MC
University Children's Hospital, Josef-Schneider-Str 2, D-97080 Wuerzburg, Germany.
Speer
C P
CP
D000818:Animals; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000628:therapy
D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor