Umbilical cord blood interleukin-6 levels and neonatal morbidity

OBJECTIVE: To study umbilical cord interleukin-6 levels and the occurrence of neonatal sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and grade II-IV intraventricular hemorrhage. METHODS: Umbilical cord blood was collected from 133 preterm newborns. The study population was divided according to the presence or absence of neonatal complications. Interleukin-6 levels and clinical characteristics were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Sixteen neonates had adverse outcomes, and 117 were unaffected. The median interleukin-6 level was significantly higher in affected than in unaffected infants (145 pg/mL versus 0 pg/mL, P = .002). Elevated interleukin-6 levels were associated independently with neonatal morbidity in multiple logistic regression modeling that included gestational age, birth weight, and antenatal steroid exposure. CONCLUSION: Umbilical cord blood interleukin-6 levels are elevated in neonates who subsequently develop sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, or grade II-IV intraventricular hemorrhage.