Interleukin-13 is involved in the survival of children with sepsis.
Forty-eight children with sepsis were studied. Interleukin-13 (IL-13) levels were lower in patients who died at admission (p=0.014) and at 6 h (p=0.037), and in patients with refractory shock at 0 (p=0.03) and particularly at 6 h (p=0.0009). IL-13 levels did not correlate with other cytokines (IL-1b, IL-10, IL-12, TNFr), CRP or neutrophil count. Low IL-13 levels in the early hours of sepsis are associated with poor prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-13, a Th-2 cytokine fundamental in the pathogenesis of atopy, might also have a protective role against severe infections in children.
Blanco-Quirós
Alfredo
A
Department of Paediatrics and Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM), University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. ablanco@ped.uva.es
Casado-Flores
Juan
J
Garrote Adrados
Jose A
JA
Moro
Monserrat Nieto
MN
Antón
Julia Asensio
JA
Sanz
Eduardo Arranz
EA
D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood
D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D002097:C-Reactive Protein