Increased Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1 Beta) in Tracheal Aspirates of Newborns with Pneumonia

Overview

Journal Infection

Date 1994 Jul 1

PMID 8002082

Citations 1

Authors

C Buck

H Gallati

F Pohlandt

P Bartmann

Affiliations

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Abstract

Pneumonia is one of the major sites of infection in ventilated newborns. We investigated whether the cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are detectable in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia as a diagnostic marker. All 12 infants with pneumonia had elevated levels of IL-1 beta (range 30-300 pg/ml) and TNF-alpha (range 60-680 pg/ml), whereas control infants (n = 21; respiratory distress syndrome, very low birth weight or infants intubated preoperatively) had no detectable levels of IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha. In vitro investigations with mononuclear cells of umbilical cord blood were performed to rule out that exogenously added surfactant influences IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production. It is concluded that IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are important and specific mediators of neonatal pneumonia which may be of diagnostic importance.

Citing Articles

Diagnostic tests for bacterial infection from birth to 90 days--a systematic review.

Fowlie P, Schmidt B Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1998; 78(2):F92-8.

PMID: 9577277 PMC: 1720763. DOI: 10.1136/fn.78.2.f92.

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