SERUM INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA, INTERLEUKIN-6, NITRIC-OXIDE AND ALPHA(1)-ANTITRYPSIN IN SCORPION ENVENOMED CHILDREN

During the present study, thirty-eight children in Upper Egypt (less t han 12 years old) were admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for s corpion envenomation. They were compared with thirteen apparently heal thy children of matching age as controls. The victims and controls wer e subjected to complete clinical examination and full blood count. The evaluations of the serum levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), in terleukin-6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO) and alpha(1)-antitrypsin (alpha( 1)-AT) were performed once for the controls and twice for the victims, the first sample on admission and the 2nd sample after 24 h. All vict ims showed significantly higher mean values of IL-1 beta, IL-6, NO, al pha(1)-AT and leucocytic count both on admission and on follow up when compared with controls. Manifestations of mild envenomation were dete cted among 28.9% of the victims, while 71.1% of the victims manifested severe scorpion envenomation. The severely envenomated children showe d significantly higher mean values of IL-I beta, IL-6, NO, alpha(1)-AT and leucocytic count both on admission and on follow up when compared with mild cases. The case fatality rate in the current study was 7.8% , The non-surviving victims showed significantly higher mean values of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and leucocytic count both on admission and on follow up in comparison to the survivors. Furthermore, those fatal cases show ed a non-significant decline in the studied biochemical indices on fol low up after 24 h, while the survivors showed a significant decline in the serum levels of IL-6, IL-la, NO and alpha(1)-AT after 24 h of pos t arrival to the hospital. In conclusion, these data revealed that cyt okines are involved in the pathogenesis of scorpion envenomation and c orrelated with the severity of envenomation. This may provide a ration ale for anticytokine treatment. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.