SERUM CYTOKINE LEVELS (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF, GM-CSF) IN BURNED PATIENTS

The presence and concentration of selected cytokines (interleukin 4 (I L-4), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), granulocyte colony-s timulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulatin g factor (GM-CSF) were evaluated in the sera of 12 burned patients (6- 90 per cent body surface area). The presence of cytokines in the sera of 20 healthy volunteers (control group) was always undetectable (< 2 pg/ml). In sera of the burned patients the concentrations of IL-4 or G M-CSF were also below the test sensitivity levels, while G-CSF and IL- 6 were present throughout all the observation period and IL-8 was dete ctable at the onset of massive infections. The serum concentrations of G-CSF and IL-6 increased during the episodes of clinically and bacter iologically detectable infections. Their increases were, however, obse rvable 12-24 h later than the other infection symptoms. Similar increa ses in G-CSF and IL-6 levels have been defected during corrective surg ery (covering of granulation tissue with skin grafts). It may be concl uded that serum G-CSF and IL-6 levels in burned patients may be consid ered as diagnostic factors, but the delays in the reaction to the mass ive infection do not allow us to use them for predicting the time of o nset of the infection.