IL-8 Plus CRP Measurement Reduces Unnecessary Antibiotic Tx...

Using a diagnostic algorithm that includes measurements of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in combination with C-reactive protein (CRP) reduces unnecessary antibiotic therapy in newborns, according to the results of a multicenter, randomized trial published in the July issue of Pediatrics. 'Neonatal bacterial infections carry a high mortality when diagnosed late,' write Axel R. Franz, MD, from the University of Ulm in Germany, and colleagues from the International IL-8 Study Group. 'Early diagnosis is difficult because initial clinical signs are nonspecific. Consequently, physicians frequently prescribe antibiotic treatment to newborn infants for fear of missing a life-threatening infection.' Read more >>