Author/Authors :
Uraş, Nurdan Fatih Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi - Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı - Neonatoloji Bilim Dalı, Ankara , Mete, Emin Department of Pediatrics - Medical Faculty of Fatih University, both in Ankara , Kara, Semra Department of Neonatology Division - Medical Faculty of Fatih University, both in Ankara , Tatlı, Mustafa Mansur Department of Neonatology Division - Medical Faculty of Fatih University, both in Ankara , Karabel, Müsemma Fatih Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi - Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
Abstract :
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the differentiation of neonatal bacterial sepsis and TTN. Material and Methods: The hospital records of 58 new- born infants with respiratory distress who were above 35 weeks of gestational age were investigated. Patients were divided into two groups. The infection group con- sisted of patients with proven sepsis and clinical sepsis and the other was the TTN group. Clinical findings and white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 levels and the ratio of immature neutrophils to total neutrophils count (I/T) were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results: Serum CRP and IL-6 levels were found higher than the normal limits in both of the groups. However there was no significant difference between them. Duration of respiratory distress was longer and I/T ratio significantly higher in the infection group than the TTN group. The combination of IL-6 and I/T ratio yielded a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 48%, a positive predictive value of 44.7%, and a negative predictive value of 80% Conclusion: The I/T ratio and IL-6 may contribute to the early diagnosis of sepsis with respiratory symptoms in newborn infants but IL-6 alone cannot distinguish between TTN and sepsis.
Keywords :
Interleukin 6 , sepsis , newborn , transient tachypnea
