study of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist as a marker of early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the serum level of IL- Ira in the blood of high risk neonates [with PROM >24 h.] as a predictor of sepsis before the clinical diagnosis. The study included 29 term neonates [15 males and 14 females, their mean value of gestational ages was 37.65 +/- 1.1 weeks and the birth weight was 2.9 +/- 0.5 kg]. They were subjected to full history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations including complete blood count [CBC], C-reactive protein [CRP], blood culture and quantitative determination of serum IL-Ira levels by ELISA technique. Three consecutive samples were taken from each neonate: The first sample [A] was obtained immediately after delivery, the second sample [B] after 48 hours and the third [C] after 96 hours. The studied neonates were divided into two groups: Group I [septic group] included 15 neonates with proven sepsis and group II [healthy non-septic control group] included 14 neonates. Data suggested that the assessment of IL-Ira may be used as an early diagnostic tool in neonates with a suspicion of sepsis

role of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in the pathogenesis of arthritis

The objectives from this study was to compare serum levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1Ra] with synovial fluid levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and osteoarthritis [OA], and to correlate the level of the naturally occurring IL-1 inhibitor with indices of disease activity and severity in RA patients. A correlation was also done between IL-1Ra and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha] with knee radiographs in OA patients as a parameter of disease severity. IL-1Ra and TNF-alpha were assessed by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay [ELISA] in serum and synovial fluids in 20 female patients with RA, 20 female patients with OA and in the serum of 15 controls. We found that IL-1Ra and TNF-alpha concentrations were increased in both RA and OA sera compared with the control group. Although there was no significant difference between the concentration of serum IL-1Ra in RA patients when compared to those with OA, we observed that its mean level were higher in patients with RA. Moreover, IL-1Ra levels were correlated significantly with the levels of ESR, CRP as well as all the clinical parameters of disease activity measured in RA patients. We also found significant correlation between the synovial levels of both IL-1Ra and TNF-alpha in RA when compared to OA patients. The mean level of synovial IL-1Ra in RA patients is about twice that was found in OA patients. Our data reveal a consistent association between IL-1Ra production and disease activity and severity in RA patients. It also reveals a high serum and synovial IL-1Ra and TNF-alpha in OA patients that make us suggest that OA should be considered a disease with a systemic and local inflammatory response. Further studies are needed to determine the association of cytokines and its inhibitors in OA