CHANGES IN LEVELS OF SERUM IL-8 IN BURNED PATIENTS

Interleukin (IL)-8 levels in serial serum samples of 10 burned patient s were analysed. Tile total body surface areas (TBSAs) of the burn inj ury ranged 30 to 85 pet cent. Of these ten patients, five recovered al d the other five, who were septic, died. On admission at about 5-13 h postburn, one of the five survivors and two of the non-survivors had s erum IL-g levels higher than 18.1 pg/ml, which is the detection limit of the IL-8 assay kit. The serum IL-8 values of sh healthy laboratory personnel included ill the present study were all less than 18.1 pg/ml . Afterwards, an initial peak serum IL-8 response was detected within 2-4.5 days postburn. Significant differences in the peak serum IL-8 le vels were not found between patients with TBSAs of greater or less tha n 50 per cent and patients who survived or expired from burn injury. I n the survivors, serum IL-8 remained low, whereas IL-8 increased marke dly, starting at about one week postburn in JOUY of the fire non-survi vors with confirmed sepsis. Significant differences in the maximum ser um IL-8 levels were detected between patients who recovered vs. those who died from the thermal injury. In conclusion, the results showed th at there was an increase in ser-um IL-8 postburn. Serum IL-8 was signi ficantly higher in the septic patients, who all died. This cytokine ma y play a significant role ill the pathophysiology of sepsis in burned patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI. All lights reserved.