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CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM NO METABOLITES AND IL-8 IN CHILDHOOD PNEUMONIA

Hong JG, Cheng GQ, Li Z, et al.

Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai, China

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of serum NO metabolites (NO₃^-/NO₂^-) and IL-8 in childhood pneumonia.

Methods: Forty children admitted for acute pneumonia were enrolled. Among them 26 were boys and 14 were girls. Mean ages were 45.7 months. Twenty-three health children were as control. Nitratase reduction and ELISA procedures were used to measure the serum concentration of NO₃^-/NO₂^- and IL-8. In pneumonia group, samples were recollected at the recovery stage.

Results: On the admission, the concentrations of NO₃^-/NO₂^- and IL-8 in pneumonia group were 37.6±22.4mmol/L and 797±170pg/L, respectively. The values were significantly higher than those of control (26.09±13.04mmol/L and 286±90pg/L, respectively), p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively. At the recovery stage, the concentrations of NO₃^-/NO₂^- and IL-8 significantly reduced to 28.7±19.6mmol/L and 285±60pg/ml, respectively, with no difference compared with the control. The concentrations of NO₃^-/NO₂^- were well corrected with the concentrations of IL-8, p<0.05, both on the admission and at the recovery stage.

Conclusion: NO and IL-8 as an activated cytokine and preinflammatory factor, are involved in the development and progress of acute pneumonia. The study of serum (NO₃^-/NO₂^-) and IL-8 may contribute to understand the pathophysiology process of pneumonia and explore new therapy which may be benefit for making the inflammation of the disease well undercontrolled. That will prevent sever complication and improve the outcomes of the disease as well.