Abstract:Objective The purpose of the study was to investigate the variations of serum interferon-α (IFN-α),interleukin-8(IL-8)and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)in children aged from 6 month to 2 years with simple or complex febrile convulsion.Methods The serum IFN-α,IL-8 and TNF-α levels in 64 children cases of simple febrile convulsion and 52 children cases of complicated febrile convulsion were detected by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and the relationship between serum IL-8 and TNF-α levels was studied. Results In the group of simple febrile convulsion, the levels of serum IFN-α, IL-8 and TNF-α were 467.68±112.46 ng/L, 48.74±16.5 ng/L and 578.24±168.46 ng/L, respectively, which were obviously higher than those in the control group (P<0 01). The levels of serum IFN-α,IL-8 and TNF-α in the group of complicated febrile convulsion were 584.56±124.24 ng/L,74.38±18.74 ng/L and 812.36±232.38 ng/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0 01) and simple febrile convulsion group ( P < 0 01 ). There was a positive correlation between serum IL-8 and TNF- α in simple or complicated febrile convulsion ( r 1=0.565,r 2 =0.64,P<0 01). Conclusions ①In cases of simple or complicated febrile convulsion, serum IFN- α, IL-8 and TNF-α levels are increased obviously. It can enhance body's immunity to infection, on the other hand,it may irritate immunological inflammatory reaction, thus causing tissue and cell damages. ② IL-8 and TNF- α may cooperate in febrile convulsion and be involved in the whole pathological process.
