Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection.
J Infect Dis 1991;
163:1029-32. [PMID:
2019752 DOI:
10.1093/infdis/163.5.1029]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in sera of 118 children (median age, 1.7 years; range, 2 months-15 years) hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). Both viral and bacterial ALRI were associated with elevated concentrations of TNF alpha. Concentrations greater than 40 ng/l were seen in children with bacterial or mixed ALRI in 64% and with viral ALRI in 50% of cases. Elevated concentrations were associated with longer duration of fever before admission (P less than .05) and with a higher serum C-reactive protein concentration (P less than .05). There were no significant differences in TNF alpha concentrations between gram-positive and gram-negative infections, nor was there an association with clinical severity of ALRI. TNF alpha concentrations decreased in most patients to normal within 5 days of hospitalization, irrespective of the etiology of the infection.
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