Levels of cytokines in drug hypersensitivity.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple drug intolerance is a serious complication of drug therapy and is an issue of allergology. The aim of the study was the investigation of cytokine status in patients with drug hypersensitivity and multiple drug hypersensitivity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 19 patients with multiple drug hypersensitivity, 34 patients with hypersensitivity to one drug, and 35 non-allergic subjects were involved. Only women were included in the study. A multiplex assay of 27 cytokines and chemokines was performed using xMap technology (Human Cytokine Panel I by Bio-Rad). RESULTS: Women with drug allergy revealed increased IL-2 levels (p < 0.05). In the case of the study of cytokine status in patients with multiple drug hypersensitivity, the new data revealed the prevalence of pro-inflammatory cytokine status with the participation of cytokines IL-17, IL-9, TNF-α, IP-10, and MIP-1. CONCLUSIONS: Various immune response arms Th2, Th17, as well as macrophages were the determining factors in the cytokine balance that was found in patients with multiple drug hypersensitivity.

Mortality Risk Factors of Early Neonatal Sepsis During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine predisposing factors for negative outcome in infants with early neonatal sepsis during COVID-19. Patients and Methods: A prospective cohort study of 172 newborns up to 4 days diagnosed with neonatal sepsis was carried out in Karaganda (Kazakhstan). The microbiological examination was used to identify a causative agent of bloodstream infection. ELISA was performed to determine the total anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Gestational age, mode of delivery, birth weight, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels, comorbidities, type of pathogen, duration of hospitalization and mother's infection diseases were used for statistical analysis. Results: Mortality in infants with neonatal sepsis was 22% (38/172). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 68.3% of the newborns. Culture-negative ELBW infants have a 5.3-fold higher risk of death (p<0.001). Low gestational age and a shorter period of hospitalization were statistically associated with fatality. CRP is generally higher in deceased children (p=0.002). Necrotizing enterocolitis (p<0.001), pneumonia (p=0.009) and anemia (p=0.016) were significantly associated with negative outcome. And, 31.4% of the infants with sepsis had positive blood cultures. The leading cause of sepsis in newborns was CoNS - 57%. Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic neonatal sepsis mortality was associated with low birth weight, gestational age, and comorbidities as in non-pandemic time. The relationship between COVID-19 in the mother and neonatal mortality was not found. However, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in more than half of newborns.

The Presence of PDL-1 on CD8+ Lymphocytes Is Linked to Survival in Neonatal Sepsis.

Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Neonatal sepsis is the main cause of death in newborns, especially preterm infants. The pathogenesis of sepsis is based on a hyper-inflammatory syndrome combined with an immunosuppressive mechanism in sepsis. This study aimed to find critical parameters that are associated with the outcome of newborns with suspected sepsis. Understanding the association might have clinical relevance for immuno-monitoring, outcome prediction, and targeted therapy. Methods: A total of 210 newborn infants no older than 4 days with suspected sepsis at admission in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) were prospectively enrolled. Blood cultures were incubated, and pathogens in positive cultures were determined by MALDI-TOF. An immunological assay for blood cell components was conducted by flow cytometry with antibody cocktails. The diagnostic criteria for neonatal sepsis were identified by qualified neonatologists and included both clinical sepsis and/or positive blood culture. The analyzed infants were grouped into non-septic infants, surviving septic infants, and deceased septic infants. The results showed that deceased septic newborns had a lower level of CD8+ lymphocytes and higher PDL-1 expression in comparison with surviving septic newborns. PDL-1 expression on CD8+ T cells might play an immunosuppressive role during neonatal sepsis and might be used as a laboratory biomarker in the future.

Bloodstream Infection Etiology among Children and Adults.

Every year in the world, sepsis occurs in 31.5 million people, and the number of deaths reaches 5.3 million per year. There are not enough studies that describe etiological structure of sepsis pathogens in different groups of population of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this study, we have investigated difference of local sepsis etiology and antibiotic susceptibility among children and adults. A total 200 blood samples were examined using the standard and express method of identification of bloodstream pathogens. The determination of antimicrobial sensitivity was carried out by the disc-diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Overall, 23/90 (25.5%) positive blood cultures were isolated from adult patients and 43/110 (39%) from pediatric patients. It was found that children are statistically more often affected with bacterial bloodstream infection than adults (p < 0.05). The Gram-positive bacteria are the leading cause of sepsis in both groups: S. epidermidis (35.5%) in pediatric patients and S. aureus (21.7%) in adults. However, statistical significance was detected in pediatric patients (p < 0.05). The number of resistant strains of S. epidermidis (MRSE) in the group of children was 66.7%, while in adults, all S. epidermidis was resistant to azithromycin and cefoxitin (MRSE). S. aureus strains from adult patients and children had a similar picture of antibiotic patterns. The proportion of MRSA in pediatric patients was 16, 6%, and in adult patients, 20%. Enterobacterales (39%) were the second cause of sepsis in adult patients. 62.5% of Enterobacterales strains isolated from adults were phenotypically identified as ESBL, while in pediatric patients, 25% of ESBL producers were isolated. We have noted the resistance to antibiotics that are prescribed according to protocols of treatment of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the strains isolated from the patient's blood.