Serum G-CSF Level Changes in Neonatal Sepsis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The neonate is susceptible to severe and overwhelming bacterial infections. One of the most important deficiency in the neonatal host defense system seems to be quantitative and qualitative deficiency of the myeloid and the phagocytic system. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to induce neutrophilia and enhance mature effector neutrophil function. We examined serum levels of G-CSF in neonates with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. METHODS: Sera from 42 patients in neonatal neutropenic sepsis (n=13) and non-neutropenic sepsis (n=29), as well as sera from 32 neonates in normal full-term were collected. Total WBC, absolute neutrophil count and serum G-CSF levels were measured at acute and recovery phases in sepsis and at cord blood, day 3 and day 7 in normal full term, respectively. RESULTS: The G-CSF level in normal full-term neonate was 105.6pg/mL at cord blood, and decreased to 35.1pg/mL on day 3, and 28.3pg/mL on day 7. There was statistical correllary relationship between their G-CSF level and peripheral neutrophilic granulocyte count in sepsis and suspected sepsis groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the neonatal neutrophil count in sepsis is stimulated by endogenously secreted G-CSF and exogenous rhG-CSF is not needed.