title: Interleukin-6 as inflammatory marker referring to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in severely injured children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the suggestion that the inflammatory response in traumatized children is functionally unique, prognostic markers predicting pediatric multiple organ failure are lacking. We intended to verify whether Interleukin-6 (IL-6) displays a pivotal role in pediatric trauma similar to adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Traumatized children less than 18 years of age with an Injury Severity Score >9 points and consecutive admission to the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit were included. Organ function was evaluated according to the score by Marshall et al. while IL-6 levels were measured repetitively every morning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  59 traumatized children were included (8.4 ± 4.4 years; 57.6% male gender). Incidence of MODS was 11.9%. No differences were found referring to age, gender, injury distribution or overall injury severity between children with and without MODS. Increased IL-6 levels during hospital admission were associated with injury severity (Spearman correlation: r = 0.522, p < 0.001), while an inconsistent association towards the development of MODS was proven at that time point (Spearman correlation: r = 0.180, p = 0.231; Pearson's correlation: r = 0.297, p = 0.045). However, increased IL-6 levels during the first two days were no longer associated with the injury severity but a significant correlation to MODS was measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented prospective study is the first providing evidence for a correlation of IL-6 levels with injury severity and the incidence of MODS in traumatized children.
authors.forename: Hagen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andruszkow
authors.forename: Janika
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasse
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brunnemer
authors.forename: Julia Helga Karla
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Andruszkow
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gänsslen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
authors.affiliation: Department for Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Medical Center Marburg, Baldingerstr, 35043 Marburg, Germany. frink@med.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6