Abstract
Serum samples taken on admission from 79 patients with meningococcal meningitis, septicaemia, or both, were examined in a highly sensitive bioassay for tumour necrosis factor (TNF). TNF was detected in samples from 10 of 11 patients who died but from only 8 of 68 survivors. All 5 patients with serum TNF levels over 440 units/ml (corresponding to 0.1 ng/ml recombinant TNF) died.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Child
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Child, Preschool
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Female
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Glycoproteins / blood*
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Humans
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Infant
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Male
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Meningitis, Meningococcal / blood
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Meningitis, Meningococcal / mortality
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Meningococcal Infections / blood
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Meningococcal Infections / mortality*
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Middle Aged
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Substances
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Glycoproteins
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha