Abstract.
Aims/hypothesis:
An early diagnosis of sepsis in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma is crucial and could save lives. We studied serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 to find out how useful these might be for identifying sepsis.
Methods:
Sixty one diabetic patients with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma were enrolled. Patients with signs and symptoms of systemic inflammatory response syndrome were identified. Acute-phase reactants, including C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, the main cytokine responsible for the induction of acute-phase proteins, were measured on admission and when patients had clinically improved and were euglycaemic.
Results:
A total of 49 out of 61 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmosis had signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Another 27 patients had systemic inflammatory response syndrome and no signs of infection and 22 patients had systemic inflammatory response syndrome due to proven infection. We detected a significant increase in serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 values in patients infected compared with patients not infected with systemic inflammatory response syndrome SIRS. Patients who finally died had much higher levels of these proteins, while there was a prompt reduction of serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 early during remission.
Conclusion/interpretation:
Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma can often cause a clinical syndrome resembling systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Determination of serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels is a useful way of excluding an underlying infection early on as well as confirming and monitoring sepsis. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 1011–1014
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 17 April 2001 and in revised form: 17 April 2001
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gogos, C., Giali, S., Paliogianni, F. et al. Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein as early markers of sepsis in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmosis. Diabetologia 44, 1011–1014 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250100592
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250100592