TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR AND INTERLEUKIN-6 IN CRITICAL ILLNESS POLYNEUROMYOPATHY

Critical illness polyneuromyopathy (CIPN) occurs in critically ill pat ients on artificial respiration. The pathophysiology of this disease i s unknown. Because of the strong association with sepsis, the levels o f cytokines, TNF and IL-6 were measured several times daily in patient s having CIPN and in a control group of critically ill patients withou t CIPN. The diagnosis of CIPN was made on clinical criteria. Patients with CIPN had no significantly elevated levels of TNF or IL-6 as compa red to controls.