Evaluation of Serum Interleukins-۶, ۸ and ۱۰ Levels as Diagnostic Markers of Neonatal Infection and Possibility of Mortality

  Objective(s): Bacterial infection contributes substantially to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is difficult because clinical signs are non-specific. We have evaluated serum IL-۶, ۸ and ۱۰ as potential early diagnostic markers of neonatal infection and their relationship to mortality rate and poor prognosis.   Materials and Methods : A total of ۸۴ infants, aged ≥ ۷۲ hr were enrolled in this prospective case-control trial. The case group (n=۴۱) included babies with clinical and laboratory findings compatible with sepsis and/or positive blood or cerebrospinal fluid cultures. The control group (n=۴۳) included healthy infants. IL-۶, ۸ and ۱۰ were measured for all infants. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for the determination of thresholds. Results : Statistically significant differences were observed between control and case groups for serum median level of IL-۶, ۸ and ۱۰ (P<۰.۰۰۱). IL-۶ cut-off values of ۱۰.۸۵ Pg/ml for discriminating between cases and controls and ۷۸.۲ Pg/ml for predicting mortality are suggested. IL-۸ at a cut-off value of ۶۰.۰۵ Pg/ml was valuable for differentiation of definite versus indefinite infection. Conclusion : Evaluating the IL-۶, ۸ and ۱۰ simultaneously, could improve the sensitivity and specificity of early diagnosis of the neonatal sepsis. Regarding our results, interleukin ۶ had the greatest value for predicting infection and possible mortality, whereas IL-۸ was valuable for diagnosing definitive infection.