Abstract 66

Aims:1. To compare the levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) in the serum of preterm infants to those previously from endotoxin-free plasma samples. 2. To establish the predictive value for infection of serum sICAM-1 measurement. Subjects and methods: 73 samples were obtained from residual serum after routine electrolyte analysis. sICAM-1 levels were determined by ELISA (Cellfree, T Cell Diagnostics, Cambridge, MA.). Results: Serum levels were comparable to those previously established in plasma and there was a significant difference in levels between infected and non-infected infants(p=0.005). Predictive values in this study (based on sICAM-1 >300ng/ml) indicated sensitivity for culture positive infection of 93% and negative predictive value of 97%.

Conclusions: Serum ICAM-1 may be a clinically valuable tool in the diagnosis of infection in preterm babies. Prospective clinical studies are required to evaluate its place in clinical practice.