SERUM CRP AND IL-6 LEVELS AFTER TRAUMA - NOT PREDICTIVE OF SEPTIC COMPLICATIONS IN 31 PATIENTS

We studied 31 blunt trauma victims, Injury Severity Score (ISS) mean 1 4 (9-57), for the pattern of release of C-reactive protein (CRP) and c ytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). Blood samples were taken on admission (w ithin 6 hours of injury), as well as at 24 hours, and 3, 5 and 7 days. Serum CRP and IL-6 were measured by ELISA. Subsequent surgical events and sepsis were noted. Serum IL-6 levels on admission were considerab ly higher (median 135 pg mL(-1)) than our laboratory reference range ( < 5 pg mL(-1)), slowly returning towards reference values during the s tudy. Serum CRP levels were similar to laboratory normal values on adm ission (median 8.5 mg L-1 vs 7.5 mg L-1), reaching peak values (median 110 mg L-1) after 3 days. There was a correlation between IL-6 releas e and ISS but not between CRP and ISS. Patients undergoing surgery sho wed further increases in IL-6 and CRP levels postoperatively. Of 24 su rgical patients, 9 developed postoperative sepsis. In blunt trauma pat ients, early assessment of the markers CRP or IL-6 were not useful for the diagnosis of sepsis. Levels of CRP following accidental or surgic al trauma should be assessed with caution.