Abstract：OBJECTIVE: Neonates are susceptible to infectious diseases and are associated with high mortality due to transient low immunity. This study aims to assess the significance of serum levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13 in early diagnosis and therapy of neonatal infectious diseases in term neonates. METHODS: Three groups were studied: 1) an Infected group consisting of 21 term neonates with proven bacterial infection; 2) a Non-infected group consisting of 20 sick but non-infected term neonates; and 3) a Umbilical blood group consisting of 30 healthy term neonates from whom umbilical vein blood was obtained immediately after birth. Serum levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13 were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. RESULTS: The serum levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13 were significantly higher in the Infected group ( 87.0± 82.6, 35.1± 34.8 and 23.2± 46.2 pg/ml) compared with Non-infected group ( 56.6± 13.2, 21.6± 12.9 and 12.0± 32.3 pg/ml) (all P< 0.05). The serum levels of IL-8 and IL-10 in the Infected group decreased significantly after anti-infection treatment ( 51.2± 3.1 and 18.5± 3.3 pg/ml) (both P< 0.05). There was no significant difference in the IL-13 level before and after treatment. Serum IL-13 level was significantly higher in the Non-infected group compared to the Umbilical blood group ( 1.2± 0.3 pg/ml) (P< 0.05), although the IL-8 and IL-10 levels were the same for the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Serum IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13 may be useful as indicators of neonatal bacterial infection. Serum IL-8 and IL-10 might be useful in the evaluation of efficacy of therapy in bacterial infection.
ZHU Jian-Xing,ZHANG Yong-Hong,SHEN Zheng et al. Detection of serum levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13 in neonates with bacterial infection[J]. CJCP, 2004, 6(5): 365-368.
