[Association of non-thyroidal illness syndrome with interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in critically ill children with sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence rate of non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) in critically ill children with or without sepsis and the association of NTIS with interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 97 children with sepsis (sepsis group) and 80 non-sepsis children with bacterial infection (non-sepsis group). The correlations of IL-6 and IL-10 with the thyroid function parameters triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age and sex between the sepsis and non-sepsis groups (P>0.05). Compared with the non-sepsis group, the sepsis group had a significantly higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, a significantly longer length of hospital stay, and a significantly higher rate of use of ventilator (P<0.05). As for inflammation markers, the sepsis group had significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and IL-6 than the non-sepsis group (P<0.05). As for thyroid function parameters, the sepsis group had significantly lower levels of T3, T4, free T3, free T4, and TSH than the non-sepsis group (P<0.05). Compared with the non-sepsis group, the sepsis group had significantly higher incidence rates of NTIS, low T3 and T4, and low TSH (P<0.001). The correlation analysis revealed that IL-6 level was not correlated with T3, T4, and TSH levels in children with or without sepsis (P>0.05), but the pooled analysis of the two groups showed that IL-6 level was negatively correlated with T3 and T4 levels (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Children with sepsis have a higher incidence rate of NTIS than those without sepsis. The high level of IL-6 may be associated with the development of NTIS.

[Effect of continuous hemofiltration on inflammatory mediators and hemodynamics in children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) on inflammatory mediators in children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and to investigate its clinical efficacy. METHODS: A total of 36 children with stage IV HFMD were enrolled and randomly divided into conventional treatment group and CVVH group (n=18 each). The children in the CVVH group were given CVVH for 48 hours in addition to the conventional treatment. The levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lactic acid in peripheral venous blood, heart rate, blood pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction were measured before treatment and after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. RESULTS: After 24 hours of treatment, the conventional treatment group had a significantly reduced serum IL-2 level (P<0.01), and the CVVH treatment group had significantly reduced serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α (P<0.05). After 48 hours of treatment, both groups had significantly reduced serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α (P<0.01), and the CVVH group had significantly lower levels of these inflammatory factors than the conventional treatment group (P<0.01). After 48 hours of treatment, heart rate, systolic pressure, and blood lactic acid level were significantly reduced, and left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly increased in both groups, and the CVVH group had significantly greater changes in these indices except systolic pressure than the conventional treatment group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: CVVH can effectively eliminate inflammatory factors, reduce heart rate and venous blood lactic acid, and improve heart function in children with severe HFMD.

[Clinical research of timing of application of antibiotics in septic shock of pediatric patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of timing of antibiotics in pediatric septic shock. METHODS: Eighty children with septic shock treated with bundle treatment in Department of Critical Care Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. Eighty children with septic shock were divided into observation group (n=40, anti-infection therapy within 1 hour after admission) and control group (n=40, anti-infection therapy 1-6 hours after admission). The contents of lactate, C-reaction protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were compared between two groups at admission and 24 hours and 72 hours after admission. RESULTS: Lactate in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group within the first 24 hours after admission (8.65 ± 2.84 mmol/L vs. 11.75 ± 3.20 mmol/L, P<0.01). CRP in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group 24 hours and 72 hours after admission (66.25 ± 8.55 mg/L vs. 91.77 ± 7.71 mg/L, 22.03 ± 7.46 mg/L vs. 50.11 ± 7.30 mg/L, both P<0.01). PCT in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group 72 hours after admission (0.67 ± 0.31 µg/L vs. 1.16 ± 0.25 µg/L, P<0.01). Time for shock recovery in the observation group was significantly shorter than that of the control group (6.80 ± 3.70 hours vs. 12.80 ± 3.63 hours, P<0.05), but no statistical difference in mortality rate between groups was found [5% (2/40) vs. 10% (4/40), P>0.05]. CONCLUSION: With the early empirical anti-infection treatment in pediatric septic shocked patients, time for recovery from shock can be shortened and successful rate of resuscitation can be improved.