BRIEF REPORTS INDIAN PEDIATRICS 1024 VOLUME 42__OCTOBER 17, 2005 Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Interleukin-6 in Infants with Sepsis

Thirty-two infants above one month of age admitted to a tertiary care hospital with signs of infection and presumptive diagnosis of sepsis were included. Cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFµ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were estimated at admission and after 48-72 hr, and their relationship examined to the outcome. Significantly higher TNFa and IL-6 levels were seen in infants with sepsis compared to control. The TNFa levels significantly decreased in patients with sepsis, septic shock and the survivors, while the patients who did not survive, the levels showed no significant change after 48 hr. The initial levels of IL-6 were comparatively higher in patients with septic shock and non-survivors, and increased at 48 hr of admission in patients with sepsis, septic shock and non-survivors. Key words: Cytokines, Interleukin-6, Tumor necrosis factor. DESPITE improved antibiotic therapyand advances in cardiorespiratory monitoring mortality rates in systemic sepsis are high. Infection begins with the invasion of the host by bacteria or other pathogens and progress to systemic inflammatory respons