INTERLEUKIN-6 RESPONSE TO URINARY-TRACT INFECTION IN CHILDHOOD

This study analyzed the interleukin 6 (IL-6) response in 114 children with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI). Urine and serum samples were obtained at the time of enrollment. There were 90 children with U TI, 41 with and 49 without a temperature greater than or equal to 38.5 degrees C. The remaining 24 children did not have bacteriuria; 11 wer e febrile and 13 were not. The urinary IL-6 concentrations were higher in the children with UTP (mean, 129 units/ml) than in the children wi thout bacteriuria (mean, 7 units/ml, P < 0.01). In contrast the serum IL-6 did not differ between children with or without UTI or between ch ildren with or without a temperature greater than or equal to 38.5 deg rees C. The urinary IL-6 response was higher in children who were infe cted with P fimbriated Escherichia coli than in other children with UT I (P < 0.05). There was a correlation of urinary IL-6 with the degree of proteinuria, hematuria and urinary leukocyte counts (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.05, respectively) but not with serum IL-6, CRP or tempera ture, and of serum IL-6 to C-reactive protein (P = 0.053) and renal co ncentrating capacity (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that infectio ns of the urinary tract activate an IL-6 response in children and that the magnitude of the IL-6 response is influenced by the properties of the infecting strain.