One hundred eighty critically ill African adult intensive care patients divided into two groups, eighty septic critically ill patients (sepsis group) while, eighty non-septic critically ill patients (SIRS) group. Admission serum IL-8 was measured in both sepsis and SIRS groups. IL-8 (-251A/T) polymorphism was detected in sepsis and SIRS groups.

A total of one hundred eighty African patients (97men and 83 women) were included in the study. Eighty patients developed septic complication during ICU stay (sepsis group). Eighty patients were critically ill without evidence of infectious organism (SIRS group). Patients received anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids before admission, who had immunosuppressive illness, who had chronic organ failure; who had received massive blood transfusion; those with radiation therapy, previous organ transplantation were excluded from the study. At admission, the patient's age, sex, height and weight were recorded. These data include the following: clinical status; sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score; temperature; heart rate; respiratory rate; blood pressure; central venous pressure; laboratory analysis (complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, blood sugar, serum sodium, potassium, calcium, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, prothrombin time, albumin and CRP) and arterial blood gas analysis. Routine cultures of blood, urine and suspected sites were obtained to determine the presence of infection. We attempted to maintain the patient hemoglobin level at 10-12g/dl and central venous pressure at 8-12 cmH2o. If needed, blood products, intravascular fluid replacement and inotropic and/or vasopressor agents were administered. Each day the attending physician in the ICU evaluated all the study patients for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock.

Inclusion Criteria:

Adults patients with clinical diagnosis of sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients received anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids before admission, patients who had immunosuppressive illness ie. AIDS, patients with chronic liver failure, patients with renal failure, patients with respiratory failure ; patients received massive blood transfusion; patients with radiation therapy, patients with organ transplantation .

A total of eighty African patients (47men and 33 women) were included in the study. Forty patients developed septic complication during ICU stay (sepsis group). Forty patients were critically ill without evidence of infectious organism (SIRS group).