Cytokines in sepsis due to Candida albicans and in bacterial sepsis

Cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 ( IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-soluble receptor (TNF-sR), and adhesion mol ecules, e.g, vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin, play an important role in the pathogenesis of bacterial sepsis, Experimental data o n cytokine expression during candidaemia are controversial. In this study, plasma concentrations of cytokines and adhesion molecules were compared bet ween patients with sepsis due to Candida albicans and bacterial sepsis, Pla sma levels of TNF-alpha, TNF-sR, IL-6, VCAM-1 and E-selectin, were determin ed in 20 patients with sepsis due to C. albicans, in 20 patients with bacte rial sepsis, and in 20 controls on days 1, 7 and 14, On day 1, elevated pla sma levels of TNF-alpha, TNF-sR and IL-6 were detected in both sepsis group s compared to controls. On day 1, VCAM-1 levels were higher, and E-selectin levels were lower in patients with Candida sepsis than in patients with ba cterial sepsis (p < 0.05), At any time, VCAM-1 levels were significantly gr eater in patients with Candida sepsis than in patients with bacterial sepsi s (p < 0.05), Non-survivors, regardless of the etiology of sepsis, had high er blood levels of IL-6, TNF-sR and E-selectin than survivors. The cytokine s, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and TNF-sR, and the adhesion molecules, VCAM-1 and E-sel ectin, are involved in sepsis due to C, albicans as in bacterial sepsis.