title: Interleukin-4 and 13 concentrations in infants at risk to develop Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An exaggerated inflammatory response occurs in the first few days of life in infants who subsequently develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The increase of inflammatory cytokines in many disease processes is generally balanced by a rise in anti-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) have been shown to inhibit production of several inflammatory cytokines important in the development of BPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sought to determine if a correlation exists between the presence or absence of IL-4 and IL-13 in tracheal aspirates (TA) during the first 3 weeks of life and the development of BPD in premature infants. Serial TAs were prospectively obtained from 36 very low birth weight infants and IL-4 and IL-13 concentrations were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants who developed BPD (n = 19) were less mature (25.3 +/- 0.02 wks vs. 27.8 +/- 0.05 wks; p < 0.001), and had lower birth weights (739 +/- 27 g vs.1052 +/- 41 g; p < 0.001). IL-4 and IL-13 were detectable in only 27 of 132 and 9 of 132 samples assayed respectively. Furthermore, the levels detected for IL-4 and IL-13 were very low and did not correlate with the development of BPD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TA concentrations of IL-4 and IL-13 do not increase significantly during acute lung injury in premature infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center 1501 Kings Highway Shreveport, Louisiana 71130-3932, USA. jbaier@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: R John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Baier
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loggins
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Kruger
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014132:Trachea
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D015847:Interleukin-4