Relationship between soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and severe pneumonia

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) participates in many immune and inflammatory reactions. Its expression and role in severe pneumonia has not fully been understood. This study aimed to investigate the changes of sICAM-1 expression in severe pneumonia and the relationship between sICAM-1 and severe pneumonia in children. METHODS: Serum sICAM-1 levels were determined by the double antibody sand using ELISA in 50 children with severe pneumonia and 56 children with mild pneumonia. Fifty-two healthy children served as control group. RESULTS: Serum sICAM-1 levels in children with severe pneumonia （402.36±31.24 μg/L）were remarkably higher than those in the mild pneumonia group (278.86±36.24 μg/L) at the acute stage and higher than in the control group (180.74±21.46 μg/L) (P<0.01). Serum sICAM-1 levels in children with severe pneumonia decreased significantly at the recovery stage (198.56±12.63 μg/L) (P<0.01), which were not statistically different from those in the mild pneumonia group at the recovery stage and the control group. There were no significant differences in serum sICAM-1 levels among the severe pneumonia subgroups caused by different pathogens (bacteria,virus or Mycoplasma) at the acute stage. Serum sICAM-1 levels at the acute stage in children with severe pneumonia who were treated successfully were not significantly different from those in patients whose symptoms were partly improved. Conclusions sICAM-1 might be involved in the inflammation course of severe pneumonia. It can severe as a marker of the diagnosis and the severity evaluation of severe pneumonia.［Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2007, 9 (6):537-539］