title: Interleukin-12 in children with sepsis and septic shock.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the behavior of interleukin-12 and verify whether it can be used to differentiate septic conditions in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Septic children aged between 28 days and 14 years, prospectively enrolled from 01/2004 to 12/2005, were divided into sepsis (SG; n=47) and septic shock (SSG; n=43) groups. Interleukin-12 levels were measured at admission (T0) and 12 hours later (T12). Disease severity was assessed by the PRISM score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interleukin-12 levels did not differentiate children with sepsis from those with septic shock at admission [SSG: 0.24 (0-226.4)=SG: 1.23 (0-511.6); p=0.135)] and T12 [SG: 6.11 (0-230.5)=SSG: 1.32 (0-61.0); p=0.1239)]. Comparing time points, no significant difference was observed in the SG [SG, T0: 1.23 (0-511.6)=T12: 6.11 (0-230.5); p=0.075]. In SSG however, interleukin-12 increased from T0 to T12 (SSG, T0: 0.24 (0-226.4)<T12: 1.32 (0-61.0); p=0.018]. The mean percentage agreement between the clinical diagnosis and laboratory findings was 59.7% and 58.5% for the SG and SSG, respectively, with no significant difference between groups and time points (p>0.05). There was no correlation between onterleukin-12 levels at admission and the PRISM score for either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interleukin-12 levels cannot differentiate between septic conditions and are not related to disease severity at admission. In septic shock patients, interleukin-12 increases with time.
authors.forename: Joelma Gonçalves
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Cilmery Suemi
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Mario Ferreira
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Carpi
authors.forename: Rossano Cesar
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bonatto
authors.forename: Marcos Aurélio de
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fioretto