Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta in synovial fluid of infants and children with suppurative arthritis
X. Saez-Llorens, M. M. Mustafa, O. Ramilo, C. Fink, B. Beutler and J. D. Nelson
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta concentrations were
measured in synovial fluid of 24 infants and children with diagnoses of
suppurative arthritis (n = 16) and other kinds of arthritis (n = 8). Large
concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (range, 100 to 85,000 pg/mL)
were found in 12 (75%) of 16 patients with bacterial infection and in none
of the patients with noninfectious origins. Large concentrations of
interleukin 1 beta (greater than 200 pg/mL) were found in 15 (94%) of 16
patients with bacterial infection and in none of the other patients. In the
latter group, small concentrations of interleukin 1 (range, 40 to 120
pg/mL) were present in 5 (63%) of 8 patients. Serum samples obtained
simultaneously were negative for both cytokines. Tumor necrosis factor
alpha and interleukin 1 beta concentrations correlated significantly and
with leukocyte counts in synovial fluid. We conclude that large
concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta are
produced locally in patients with suppurative arthritis and they may be
potentially useful in differentiating this condition from other kinds of
arthritis.
