Interleukin 8 in serum in granulocytopenic patients with infections

Abstract

Serum levels of interleukin 8 (IL‐8) were examined in eight patients with acute myeloid leukaemia during 16 courses of chemotherapy. The patients experienced 14 episodes of fever which occurred in periods with granulocyte counts 9/l. Febrile episodes were classified as bacteriologically defined infection (n= 6), clinically defined infection (n= 2), and unexplained fever (n= 6). IL‐8 was detected in 18/25 (72%), 2/3 (67%) and 3/7 (43%) of the serum samples in the respective groups. In contrast, IL‐8 was detected in 22/90 (24%) of the samples taken when no fever was present (PStreptococcus sanguis, Acinetobacter calcoanitratus and Candida albicans, IL‐8 rose to a peak levels and declined during recovery. We conclude that IL‐I is released systemically during infections with gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria and Candida albicans in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and peripheral granulocytopenia due to chemotherapy. However, IL‐8 can also be detected when no sign of infection is present.