Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 in viral and bacterial gastroenteritis in children.
BACKGROUND
Gastroenteritis is a common cause of hospitalization and is associated with high morbidity in children. C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) are primary mediators of inflammation, and have been implicated in many infectious and non-infectious inflammatory diseases. The main objective of this study was to identify serum markers in viral and bacterial gastroenteritis.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients admitted to a pediatric infection ward with gastroenteritis and definite pathogens were enrolled in the study: 17 patients had viral gastroenteritis and 14 bacterial gastroenteritis. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-10 and CRP were measured in these 31 patients, and in a control group of 15 healthy children.


RESULTS
Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and CRP were significantly greater in patients with bacterial gastroenteritis than in patients with viral gastroenteritis and healthy controls (p < 0.001). Concentrations of IL-10 were increased, but not significantly, in patients with viral or bacterial gastroenteritis (p = 0.577 vs controls). Regarding diagnosis, the measurement of TNF-alpha and CRP levels was 78.6% and 92.0% sensitive, respectively; and 88.2% and 58.8% specific, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum TNF-alpha concentration may be a useful marker for distinguishing between viral and bacterial gastroenteritis.
Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Ting-Rong
TR
Hsu
Shu-Jen
SJ
Chen
Tzee-Chung
TC
Wu
Ruey-Lung
RL
Chung
Ren-Bin
RB
Tang
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D002097:C-Reactive Protein