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Respiratory Burst Capability of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils and TNF‐α Serum Levels in Relationship to the Development of Septic Syndrome in Critically III Patients
Author(s) -
Trautinger F.,
Hammerle A.F.,
Pöschl G.,
Micksche M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.49.5.449
Subject(s) - respiratory burst , biology , immunology , critically ill , respiratory system , tumor necrosis factor alpha , systemic inflammatory response syndrome , sepsis , intensive care medicine , medicine , anatomy
Activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and neutrophil activating mediators such as tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) are thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of sepsis and multiple organ failure syndrome (MOFS). In critically ill patients at high risk for the development of septic syndrome ( n = 17) peripheral blood PMN were assayed for O ‐ 2 and H 2 O 2 production after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 40 nM). Serum TNF‐α levels were determined by ELISA. At the time of admission to the intensive care unit we found significant higher levels of TNF‐α ( P = 0.0001) in the serum of patients finally developing sepsis correlating to higher respiratory burst capability in comparison to nonseptic patients. Additionally we were able to demonstrate a significant ( P = 0.0016) lower dismutation rate of O ‐ 2 to H 2 O 2 in deceased patients in comparison to survivors. These results give further evidence that elevated levels of circulating TNF‐α and activated PMN play a significant role in the pathogenesis of septic syndrome in critically ill patients.