Reference values for interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in cord blood of healthy term neonates and their association with stress-related perinatal factors

Automated interleukin assays are promising diagnostic aids for early-onset neonatal sepsis, however, reference values for healthy term neonates are incompletely known. The goal of this study is to determine reference values for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in cord blood of healthy term neonates.

We propose a reference value of <14.1 pg/mL for IL-8 (mean + 2SD), applying to vaginally delivered and ECS-delivered healthy term newborns. From a clinical point of view, we also propose one reference value for IL-6 to be applied to vaginally delivered and ECS-delivered healthy term newborns, which is <10.2 pg/mL (97.5th percentile total group). These values have to be validated in larger cohorts of neonates, inclusive of those with and without early-onset neonatal sepsis.