Changes Of Interleukin-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α And Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 In Serum And Cerebrospinal Fluid In Children With Viral Encephalitis

Objective: To investigate the changes of interleukin-6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a ) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in children with viral encephalitis (VE) before and after treatment, explore the pathogenesis of the cytokins in VE, and try to provide theoritical basis for the treament of VE.Methods: The levels of IL-6, TNF-a and IGF-1 in serum and CSF were determined before treatment using ELISA in 25 children who were admitted with VE, including 15 cases with severe VE(SVE) and 10 cases with mild VE(MVE), and 10 children served as normal controls. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-a and IGF-1 were determined after treament. Mann-Whiney median test and Spearman Correlation analysis were caried out by SPSS10. 0 software.Results: The levels of IL-6 and TNF-a in serum and CSF before treatment were obviously higher than those of control group, and the difference was significant (p<0. 01) ;The serum and CSF IL-6 and TNF- a levels in SVE group were higher than those of the MVE group, and the difference was significant (p<0. 01). After treatment, the difference of IL-6 and TNF-a between MVE and control group was of no statistical significance(p>0. 05), but the serum and CSF IL-6 and TNF- a levels in SVE group are higher than those of MVE and control group (p<0. 01). The CSF IGF-1 levels of children with VE were higher than those of the control group,but the serum IGF-1 levels of VE children were lower than those of the control group. The serum IGF-1 levels of SVE decreased markedly than those of MVE group. All these difference are significant (p<0. 01). The serum IGF-1 levels of MVE group increased significantly after treatment(p<0.01), and no difference was found compared with control group. The serum IGF-1 levels in SVE group also increased after treatment, but were still lower than those of the control group.Conclusions: The serum and CSF I1-6 and TNF-a levels increased inchildren with VE, and positive correlation was found between the severiety of the disease and the serum and CSF IL-6 and TNF-a levels; Immune mechanisms played a role in the pathogenesis of VE;The IGF-1 levels increased in CSF and decreased in serum in children with VE; IGF-1 may be played a protection role in central nervus system in VE.