Interleukin 10 extends the effectiveness of standard therapy during late sepsis with serum interleukin 6 levels predicting outcome.

Patients with septic shock often display features of T cell hyporesponsiveness and immune suppression, which, if persistent, are associated with increased mortality. In the murine cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis, we previously reported that early treatment with the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) delays the onset of irreversible shock, defined as the time at which rescue surgery to remove the necrotic cecum is no longer effective. Because IL-10 can be immunostimulatory for T cells, we hypothesized that in the CLP model, late IL-10 treatment after removal of the infectious nidus at the onset of irreversible shock would restore T cell responsiveness and increase survival.