role of tumor necrosis factor alpha and its soluble receptors in infection complicating acute leukemia

This study aimed to examine the changes that occur in the levels of tumor necrosis factor [TNF-alpha] and its soluble receptors in infection in patients with acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and the changes that occur in these parameters during the neutropenic state. Forty-seven patients of newly diagnosed AML [with age range 12-60 years] as well as 25 age and sex matched healthy subjects were included in this study. The patients group was subdivided into four subgroups according to the presence or absence of fever and neutropenia. It was concluded that the levels of soluble receptors of TNF-alpha in the serum may reflect the inflammatory status better than TNF-alpha levels and the rise in their levels is correlated with the severity of sepsis