INCREASED LEVELS OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-ALPHA) AND INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA (IL-1-BETA) IN TRACHEAL ASPIRATES OF NEWBORNS WITH PNEUMONIA

Pneumonia is one of the major sites of infection in ventilated newborn s. We investigated whether the cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are d etectable in tracheal aspirates of newborns with pneumonia as a diagno stic marker. All 12 infants with pneumonia had elevated levels of IL-1 beta (range 30-300 pg/ml) and TNF-alpha (range 60-680 pg/ml), whereas control infants (n=21; respiratory distress syndrome, very low birth weight or infants intubated preoperatively) had no detectable levels o f IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha. In vitro investigations with mononuclear cel ls of umbilical cord blood were performed to rule out that exogenously added surfactant influences IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production. It is concluded that IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are important and specific med iators of neonatal pneumonia which may be of diagnostic importance.