Impacts of cord blood interleukin-10 levels as an immune marker in infants

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) plays a crucial role in immune response, but its impact on infant health outcomes remains unclear. This study investigated the association between cord blood IL-10 levels and clinical outcomes in Indonesian infants during the first 3 months of life. METHODS: In this cohort study, umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 104 term infants in Makassar, Indonesia. IL-10 levels were measured using ELISA. Infants were followed up at 3 months to assess various clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Significant associations were found between IL-10 levels and gender (P=0.033), with females showing higher levels. At 3-month follow-up, significant correlations were found between IL-10 levels and respiratory symptoms, including flu (P=0.006), cough (P=0.018), and mucus production (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a potential link between cord blood IL-10 levels and early respiratory symptoms in infants. These findings contribute to our knowledge of IL-10’s role in infant health and may provide future research on early-life immune modulation strategies.