Production of interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in vitro is reduced in whole blood of severely malnourished children.

1. Cytokine production in vitro was assessed in 16 malnourished children, before and after nutritional recovery. 2. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were measured in whole blood after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. 3. The total amount of both cytokines was significantly less after 24 h incubation among malnourished children when compared with the same children after nutritional rehabilitation. 4. Cytokine production in vitro is impaired in severely malnourished children.