Interleukin-6: A Sensitive Parameter for the Early Detection of Neonatal Sepsis

Abstract

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Though blood culture is the gold standard and has higher sensitivity and specificity over the hematological value and cytokine, it is not available in our community health situation and also in most of health care facilities. It is also time consuming. Therefore hematological value and interleukin-6 can be evaluated for the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection.</p> <p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study was conducted to see the usefulness of IL-6 as an early marker of neonatal sepsis and also to compare the sensitivity in comparison with CRP, hematological value and blood culture.</p> <p><strong>Study Design: </strong>It was a quasy experimental study.</p> <p><strong>Setting: </strong>This study was carried out in the neonatal unit of pediatric department, BSMMU during the period of September, 2005 to February, 2006.</p> <p><strong>Method: </strong>Forty five suspected septic cases were enrolled in the study and thirty healthy newborn were taken for comparison. Venous blood sample from peripheral vein was collected on the 1st day of symptoms and/or 1st day of admission and was sent for IL-6 estimation within half an hour and estimation of IL-6 was done by using immunolyte DPC USA which employed automated chemiluminescent immunoassays.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of forty five cases of suspected-neonatal sepsis, IL-6 were positive in twenty five cases. In culture proven sepsis 100% cases had raised IL-6. In control group only five babies had raised IL-6. Three cases were culture positive, of which all were also positive for IL-6 (100%). Among the cases twenty six were CRP positive, of which twenty were also positive for IL-6 (76.92%).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the present study IL-6 was found to be an early marker of neonatal infection. Sensitivity was more than CRP and other hematological parameter in the first twenty four hours.</p> <p><strong>Key words: </strong>Interleukin-6, Neonatal Sepsis.</p><p>DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v1i1.3687</p> <p><em>BSMMU J </em>2008; 1(1): 1-5</p>

Role of Neutrophil CD64 as an Emerging Biomarker in the Evaluation of Neonatal Sepsis

“…In sepsis group, early onset was observed more (65%) than that of late onset of sepsis (35%). This observation was constant with the findings of others Noor et al [15] Khaleda et al [16] in BSMMU. Among the infected newborns, male were predominant (57.5%).…”

“…Male has only one X chromosome, so he is immunologically less protected than the females. Predominance of male babies suffering from neonatal sepsis was found in other study [15][16][17].…”

“…This finding was consistent with the study of Khaleda et al [16] and Kuruvilla et al [20] in this study, out of 40 clinically diagnosed neonatal sepses, blood culture was found positive in 10 (25.0%) cases. According to Shaha et al [21] and Noor et al [15] Positive cultures reportedly range from 8-73% in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. 12% neonates are culture positive sepsis [16].…”

Evaluate the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis by measuring interleukins: A systematic review

“…Comparison of tests showed that there is a significant difference between IL6 levels in the three groups (p Z 0.001). 19 9 In the study of Buck et al, (1994), IL6 was more sensitive than CRP in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis at the time of admission (73% towards 58%). 22 Adib et al,…”

“…8 So hematological parameters and interleukins may be helpful for early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. 9 Many studies have tried to find valid initial reaction of cytokines for early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. 10 Inflammatory process in sepsis is very complex in terms of biochemical.…”