Trefoil factor 3 as a marker of intestinal cell damage during sepsis.

Objective: Gastrointestinal dysfunction or gut failure frequently occurs in seriously ill patients and can be responsible for multi-organ failure. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) was characterized for its role in reconstitution of an epithelial barrier after mucosal injury in the jejunum. The aims of our study was an analysis of TFF3 levels dynamics in patients with sepsis and the correlation of TFF3 with severity of sepsis and mortality.

Pancreatic stone protein - a possible biomarker of multiorgan failure and mortality in children sepsis.

Pancreatic stone protein (PSP)/regenerating protein 1-alpha (reg) is associated with inflammation, infection, and other disease-related stimuli. The prognostic value of PSP/reg among critically ill pediatric patients is unknown. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate PSP/reg in children with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis.

Multiple gene-to-gene interactions in children with sepsis: a combination of five gene variants predicts outcome of life-threatening sepsis.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to identify the dependency structure of genetic variants that can influence the outcome for paediatric patients with sepsis.

Methods: We evaluated the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms for five genes: bactericidal permeability increasing protein (BPI; rs5743507), lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP; rs2232618), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4; rs4986790), heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70; rs2227956), and interleukin 6 (IL-6; rs1800795) in 598 children aged 0 to 19 years that were admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. A control group of 529 healthy individuals was included.

Trefoil factor 2 expression and its significance as a predictor of severity of sepsis in children.

Intestinal injury significantly contributes to critical illness, sepsis and multiorgan failure. TFF2 (Trefoil Factor 2) is expressed and secreted preferentially by gastric mucous neck cells. TFF2 gene expression is promptly increased after gut injury, and its expression profile broadens to include the regenerative epithelia of virtually the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Trefoil factor 1 as a marker of mucosal damage of the gastrointestinal tract in children with sepsis.

Intestinal ischemia and reperfusion is a common pathway for many diseases in children. The objective of our study was an analysis of Trefoil factor 1 levels dynamics in patients with SIRS or septic condition during a 5-day period. Analysis of TFF1 levels dynamics revealed that TFF1 levels kept steady state during the 5-day period.

Classification of infections in intensive care units: a comparison of current definition of hospital-acquired infections and carrier state criterion.

Background: The rate of nosocomial infection appears to depend on whether it is calculated using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or carrier state criteria. The objective of this study was to differentiate between primary endogenous (PE), secondary endogenous (SE) and exogenous (EX) infections, and to compare this classification with CDC criteria for nosocomial infections.

Methods: Children hospitalized for more than 72 h at pediatric intensive care unit during 2004-2005 were enrolled.

Dynamics of glial fibrillary acidic protein during traumatic brain injury in children.

Backgrounds: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a monomeric intermediate filament protein found in the astroglial cytoskeleton and is not found outside the central nervous system. It is a brain-specific protein that is released after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: This prospective study enrolled 59 children who had TBI, as verified by computed tomography.

The usefulness of S100B, NSE, GFAP, NF-H, secretagogin and Hsp70 as a predictive biomarker of outcome in children with traumatic brain injury.

Background: Predicting the long-term outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important component of treatment strategy. Despite dramatically improved emergency management of TBI and apparent clinical recovery, most patients with TBI still may have long-term central nervous system (CNS) impairment.

Methods: Sixty-three patients with TBI were enrolled into the prospective study.

Hyperphosphorylated neurofilament NF-H as a predictor of mortality after brain injury in children.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether serum levels of hyperphosphorylated neurofilament NF-H correlate with severity of brain injury in children.

Methods: Forty-nine patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were enrolled into the prospective study. Venous blood samples were taken after admission and every 24 h for a maximum of 6 consecutive days.

Bactericidal permeability increasing protein gene variants in children with sepsis.

Objective: To evaluate the role of genetic polymorphisms of the bactericidal permeability increasing protein (BPI) in pediatric patients with sepsis.

Design: Prospective, single-center, case-control study at the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital.

Patients: 345 consecutive pediatric patients admitted to the PICU with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or multiple organ distress syndrome (MODS).

Interleukin-6 gene variants and the risk of sepsis development in children.

A proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an important role in the development, pathogenesis and outcome of SIRS, sepsis and septic shock. We have evaluated the role of the IL-6 gene polymorphisms in pediatric patients. A total of 421 consecutive pediatric patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or multiple organ distress syndrome (MODS) were studied together with 644 healthy controls.

Modeling effect of the septic condition and trauma on C-reactive protein levels in children with sepsis: a retrospective study.

Introduction: Sepsis is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units and its early diagnosis is not straightforward. Many studies have evaluated the usefulness of various markers of infection, including C-reactive protein (CRP), which is the most accessible and widely used. CRP is of weak diagnostic value because of its low specificity; a better understanding of patterns of CRP levels associated with a particular form of infection may improve its usefulness as a sepsis marker.