Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the differentiation of neonatal bacterial sepsis and TTN.

Patients and Methods: The hospital records of 58 newborns with respiratory distress that were above 35 weeks of gestational age were investigated. Patients were divided into two groups. The infection group consisted of patients with proven sepsis and clinical sepsis and the remaining one was TTN group. Clinical findings and white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 levels and the ratio of immature neutrophils to total neutrophils count (I/T) were recorded and were compared between the two groups.

Results: Serum CRP and IL-6 levels were found higher than normal limits in both of the groups. However there was no significant difference between them. Duration of respiratory distress was longer and I/T ratio was significantly higher in the infection group than TTN group.

Conclusion: I/T ratio and IL-6 may contribute to the early diagnosis of sepsis with respiratory symptoms in newborn but IL-6 alone can not distinguish TTN and sepsis.