title: lnterleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble receptors for interleukin-2 (slL-2R) in the diagnosis of early severe infection in the critically ill newborns.
abstract: The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of serial determination of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble receptors of interleukin-2 (sIL-2R) in the diagnosis of early infection in the critically ill newborns and compare it with the routinely used C-reactive protein (CRP). Fourty-six critically ill newborns (median age 8 h, range 1-96 h), treated at the multidisciplinary intensive care unit, Division for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, were included in the study. Newborns were divided into three groups: group I microbiologically confirmed severe infection (n = 14), group II suspected but not confirmed infection (n = 12) and group III respiratory distress syndrome without laboratory signs of infection. Serum concentrations of IL-6, sIL-2R and CRP were determined on admission and at 12 and 24 h after admission. On admission the concentrations of IL-6 and sIL-2R were significantly higher in group I than in group III, but there was no difference between groups I and II. On admission area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for IL-6 was 0.756, for IL-2R 0.821 and for CRP 0.799. Repeated determination at 12 h improved diagnostic accuracy for sIL-R and CRP but not for IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Lek Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company d.d., Verovškova 57, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Marjeta Tomšič
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Matić
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, University Medical Centre, Zaloška 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Metka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derganc
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, Korytkova 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wraber
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, University Medical Centre, Zaloška 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Janez
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Primožič
keywords: CRP; Key words IL-6; early neonatal sepsis; neonatal intensive care; sIL-2R