Effect of age on cytokine response in an experimental model of osteomyelitis

To study the effect of age on cytokine response in an experimental model of osteomyelitis. Forty adult male Wistar rats received a stainless steel needle, intramedullarly in the left tibia. Young rats (3 months old) and old rats (22 months old) were allotted in: Group A: Sterile implant. Group B: Sterile implant + slime producing S. aureus. Rats were sacrificed 9 weeks after surgery. Determinations: Cytokines (ELISA) in blood and in tibia extract and the number of bacteria in tibia and implant. The Wilcoxon, Mann–Whitney U tests were used (P ≤ 0.01 significant). Infection was detected in every old rat receiving S. aureus, and in 7 of 10 young rats. In blood: prior to surgery, old rats presented higher IL-2 and lower IL-4 levels. Surgery alone did not induce significant changes in old rats; surgery + S. aureus induced significant increases of IL-2 and IL-10 in young rats, and of IL-6 in old rats. Tibia analysis S. aureus group showed increased levels of: IL-10 in young rats, and IL-1β in old rats. In experimentally induced osteomyelitis, significant differences were observed in cytokine response with regard to age.