title: Serum IL-18 is increased at early postburn period in moderately burned patients.
abstract: A severe systemic inflammatory response is usually seen after burn injury. IL-18 enhances the Th1 immune responses in bacterial andviral infections. In order to evaluate the IL-18 serum levels as well as IL-6 and TNF-alpha at the 48th hour postburn, serial serum samples of 8 burned patients were analyzed. 8 moderately burned patients were included into the study. Serum samples were taken at admission at the 48th hour of postburn. IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-alpha serum levels were analyzed. Total mean burned surface area (TBSA) was 24.6 +/- 5.7% and mean BMI (body mass index) was 24.5 +/- 3.4. The patients' age ranged from 17 to 38 (mean 26.3 +/- 7.4) years. An increase in sera IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-alpha was detected at the 48th hour postburn (P < .0001). All patients survived. A marked increase in serum levels of IL-18 as well as the other cytokines evaluated was observed in the moderately burned patients. These three parameters were highly correlated with each other (r > 0.9 and P < .001). This is the first study that shows an increase in serum IL-18 levels at the early postburn period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, School of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras 46100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y Kenan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aral
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha