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Interleukin-6 elevation in healthy neonates

Journal of Perinatology volume 40, pages 294–298 (2020)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to identify peripartum and neonatal factors associated with elevated Interleukin-6 levels in the cord blood of neonates without clinical signs of an infection.

Study design

We conducted a prospective single-center study with healthy term and preterm neonates between March and November 2017. We investigated correlations between 21 peripartum factors and neonatal IL-6 concentrations.

Results

Four hundred and seventy-one infants (GA: 32.9–42.3 weeks) were included. The risk for elevated neonatal IL-6 levels was 3.1 to 4.5-fold increased in the presence of either peripartum maternal temperature >37.5 °C (p = 0.012), duration of labor >12 h (p < 0.001), vaginal delivery (p < 0.001), or neonatal neutrophils >8 × 109 cells/L (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The results indicate that a considerable number of neonates with elevated IL-6 levels can sufficiently cope with an exposition to substantial perinatal stress or intrauterine inflammation and do not require postnatal antibiotic treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Chinedu Ulrich Ebenebe, Andrea Boiger, Anna Perez & Dominique Singer

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Franziska Lara Mathies

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Kurt Hecher

Authors
  1. Chinedu Ulrich Ebenebe
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  2. Andrea Boiger
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  3. Anna Perez
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  4. Franziska Lara Mathies
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  5. Kurt Hecher
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  6. Dominique Singer
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Correspondence to Chinedu Ulrich Ebenebe.

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Ebenebe, C.U., Boiger, A., Perez, A. et al. Interleukin-6 elevation in healthy neonates. J Perinatol 40, 294–298 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0550-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0550-3

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