Regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in septic neonates.
OBJECTIVE
Measuring serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Regulated upon Activation Normal T cell Expressed and Secreated (RANTES) in neonatal sepsis and determining whether early and late onset sepsis were associated with differences in their concentrations.


METHODS
In 15 neonates showing clinical signs of early- or late-onset infection, serum TNF-alpha and RANTES were determined at first suspicion of sepsis and before starting antibiotics. Fifteen healthy neonates were included as controls.


RESULTS
Serum TNF-alpha white blood cells and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher, whereas RANTES was significantly lower in the septic group compared with the non-septic group. There was no significant difference in RANTES or TNF-alpha levels between infants having early or late-onset sepsis. Similar to term neonates, premature neonates, responded to infection with increased TNF-alpha and decreased RANTES, with no statistical differences between both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study TNF-alpha is the best diagnostic test of neonatal sepsis, followed by CRP, when evaluated at first suspicion of sepsis.
Shouman
B
B
Department of Pediatrics, Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt. b_shouman@yahoo.co.uk
Badr
R
R
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein