Plasma concentrations of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-6 in septic and healthy preterms

Plasma granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interl eukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were determined in 21 preterm infants with se psis and nine healthy preterm neonates of the same postnatal age at samplin g. Plasma GM-CSF levels were elevated at diagnosis in the septic preterms a s compared to the healthy preterms (P = 0.01), but did not differ significa ntly on recovery. IL-6 levels were also elevated markedly at diagnosis (P = 0.0003), but decreased to normal on recovery as compared to the healthy pr eterm infants. GM-CSF levels were more prominent in septic preterms with ne utropenia than those of non-neutropenic infants (P = 0.03). Conclusion Preterm infants can produce high levels of granulocyte-macrophag e colony- stimulating factor and interleukin-6 in response to bacterial sep sis.