title: [Clinical significance of the changes of serum interleukin-18 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in children with infectious mononucleosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the dynamic changes of levels of serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM).
  
  
  METHODS
  72 patients with IM were analyzed for the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-18 by RIA and ELISA, respectively in acute phase, convalescent phase, (the first month, the third month, the sixth month), and the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of serum TNF-alpha and IL-18 in patients with IM were significantly higher than that in control (P < 0.05). The serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-18 decreased with time and in patients at stage were significantly higher than that in control (P < 0.05). The levels of serum cytokine were correlated with the state of illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum cytokine TNF-alpha and IL-18 may be regarded as index to reflect the state of immunity and prognosis of patients with IM.
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Chao-zhou
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan-da
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hai-xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha