Profiles of circulating inflammatory- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome due to E. coli O157 infection.

The systemic inflammatory response to Escherichia coli O157 infection was studied from the profiles of circulating inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Twelve patients transferred sequentially to our hospital for the intensive care with acute illness due to Escherichia coli O157 infection and the possible form of haemolytic uraemic syndrome were included in this study. Increased circulating concentrations of tumour necrosis factor, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 10 were found in patients with various stages of this infection and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Especially, the degree of the increase of circulating interleukin 10 in those who had a typical signs of haemolytic uraemic syndrome was higher than those of other inflammatory cytokines. Two groups of E. coli infection could be classified into one with a typical haemolytic uraemic syndrome and the other with atypically bacteremic state over haemolytic uraemic syndrome according to these cytokine levels.