Plasma levels of type II phospholipase A2 and cytokines in patients with sepsis.

Plasma levels of type II phospholipase A2 (type II PLA2), cytokines and endotoxin were determined in patients with sepsis to investigate their interrelations and their role in the patient's prognosis. Type II PLA2 was measured by radioimmunoassay, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-8 were each measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Endotoxin was determined by a method based on an endotoxin-specific synthetic substrate. Plasma levels of type II PLA2 were significantly higher in the patients who died of sepsis than in those who survived the illness. There was a significant correlation between type II PLA2 and TNF-alpha and IL-6. Type II PLA2, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 may be useful as indices of disease severity. The results suggest that TNF-alpha and IL-6 stimulate the production of type II PLA2 in the plasma of patients with sepsis.