Affiliations: Department of Paediatrics, Tokyo Medical University,
Japan | Department of Central Clinical Laboratory, Tokyo
Medical University, Japan
Note: [] Corresponding author: Hisashi Kawashima, MD, & Ph.D.,
Department of Paediatrics, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo160-0023, Japan. Tel.: +81 3 3342 6111; Fax: +81 3 3344 0643;
E-mail: hisashi@tokyo-med.ac.jp
Abstract: The characteristics of influenza-associated encephalopathy is the
high mortality and nimble progress with coma which appears in general cases
within 48 hours. Most of patients show no abnormalities in the standard blood
checks on admission or in early stage. In this study we investigated if a rapid
assay of interleukin (IL)-6 is useful in influenza-associated encephalopathy in
early stages. The levels of IL-6 in patients with influenza-associated
encephalopathy did not show any significant difference compared with those in
patients with febrile convulsion and rotavirus-associated convulsion. However
the levels of IL-6 in severe cases were significantly higher than those of mild
cases with influenza-associated encephalopathy. Consequently the rapid assay of
serum IL-6 is useful to evaluate and decide the therapies.
