Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 serum levels during severe sepsis in humans

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Abstract
In a study of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in patients developing sepsis in the ICU, high TNFα levels were found in patients with septic shock. Normal values are 75 ± 15 pg/ml; in these patients, TNFα serum level ranged from 100 to 5000 pg/ml with a mean of 701 ± 339 pg/ ml and a median of 250 pg/ml. There was a correlation between TNFα level and sepsis severity score as well as with mortality. In contrast, IL-1β serum levels were only slightly increased and were not correlated with severity or mortality. (Crit Care Med 1989; 17:975)