title: Mastitis is associated with IL-6 levels and milk fat globule size in breast milk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  From animal studies, it is known that mastitic inflammation of the mammary lobes can produce proinflammatory cytokines and can damage the milk fat globule (MFG).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate, in women, whether MFG and interleukin (IL)-6 differences are observed between mastitic milk (MM) and healthy milk (HM) of a mother.
  
  
  METHODS
  MM was obtained from the specific nipple pore leading to the mastitic lobe of 17 women; HM was obtained from the other breast. Milk sampling occurred at days 0 (pre-treatment), 1, and 2 (post-treatment). MFG size and IL-6 were measured by laser light scattering and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We analyzed MFG and IL-6 differences between HM and MM, whether any differences occurred over time with treatment, and whether differences were observed between mothers with systemic symptoms (fever/malaise, Group A) or without systemic symptoms (Group B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  On day 0, MM had higher MFG size (P < .01) and IL-6 levels (P < .001) than HM. This difference significantly decreased over time with treatment for both MFG size (P < .01) and IL-6 (P < .05). On day 0, Group A mothers had significantly larger MFG size (P < .01) and IL-6 (P < .001) than Group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MM contains larger MFG and higher IL-6 levels than milk from the healthy breast. This difference is larger if accompanied by systemic symptoms of mastitis (fever/malaise). These changes decreased over time with treatment. Therefore, early initiation of appropriate treatment may be useful in limiting the processes that contribute to alterations in MFG size and IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Showa University of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. katsuorobi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Misato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatsuno
authors.forename: Kimiyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aikawa
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeichi
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himi
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Kimi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodaira
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itabashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D066292:Lipid Droplets; D008405:Massage; D008413:Mastitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006017:Glycolipids; D006023:Glycoproteins; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; C110367:milk fat globule