Increased serum levels of interleukin 6 are associated with severe intraventricular haemorrhage in extremely premature infants

Background: Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) in premature infants presumably have many causes. It has been proposed that inflammatory processes in the fetomaternal unit play an important role in the pathogenesis of these lesions. Objective: To study the corre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition 2003-11, Vol.88 (6), p.F501-504
Main Authors: Heep, A, Behrendt, D, Nitsch, P, Fimmers, R, Bartmann, P, Dembinski, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Babies
Birth weight
Blood pressure
Catecholamines - adverse effects
Cerebral Hemorrhage - blood
Cerebral Hemorrhage - mortality
Cohort Studies
Cytokines
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Infant, Premature, Diseases - blood
Infant, Premature, Diseases - mortality
Infections
Inflammation
inflammatory response syndrome
interleukin
interleukin 6
Interleukin-6 - blood
intraventricular haemorrhage
IVH
Leukocyte Count
Male
Morbidity
Mortality
Original
periventricular leucomalacia
Population
preterm infant
Prognosis
Proteins
PVL
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Statistical analysis
Variables
Ventilation
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Summary:Background: Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) in premature infants presumably have many causes. It has been proposed that inflammatory processes in the fetomaternal unit play an important role in the pathogenesis of these lesions. Objective: To study the correlation of postpartum serum interleukin 6 (IL6) concentration as a marker of inflammation and neonatal cerebral morbidity in preterm infants < 28 weeks of gestational age. Methods: A total of 88 infants were grouped according to maximum serum IL6 levels within 12 hours post partum: group A (n = 50), â©˝ 100 pg/ml; group B (n = 38), > 100 pg/ml. Ultrasound studies and clinical assessment were performed routinely. Results: IVH was noted significantly more often in group B (24/38; 63%) than in group A (19/50; 38%) (p = 0.02). In a multiple logistic regression model, raised serum IL6 independently predicted development of severe IVH (odds ratio 8.4; 95% confidence interval 2.85 to 24.9; p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Raised serum IL6 may serve as a marker for severe IVH in infants < 28 weeks of gestational age. Although cerebral morbidity in premature infants is determined by different variables, the identification of systemic inflammation can help to define the need for anti-inflammatory strategies to prevent cerebral morbidity.
ISSN:1359-2998
1468-2052
DOI:10.1136/fn.88.6.F501