Serum and urinary MIP-1α and IP-10 levels in children with urinary tract infections.

Abstract

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial disease in infants and children, with potentially serious complications, including kidney damage. The aim of this study was to test whether serum and urinary levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a) and interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) can be used as biomarkers in children with urinary tract infections. The study group consisted of 22 children with UTI and 20 controls. Blood and urine samples were collected in the acute phase and the convalescent phase, on the eighth day after the onset of antibiotic therapy. Serum and urine levels of MIP-1a, IP-10 and IL-6 were measured. In children with UTI in the acute phase, serum MIP-1a and IL-6 levels were significantly higher compared to the controls (p<0.05 and p<0.005, respectively). A correlation between the serum levels of the chemokines MIP-1a and IP-10 in the acute phase was found. The findings suggest that the chemokines MIP-1a or IP-10 respond to infection, but they cannot be used as biomarkers for UTI in childhood.