Objective To investigate the clinical significance of nuclear factor ( NF)-κB activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the serum levels of correlated inflammatory cytokines in children with infant muggy syndrome(IMS).Methods Blood samples from 100 patients with IMS and those from 32 healthy infants( control group)were detected by ELISA for amount of NF-κB activation in PBMCs and for serum levels of interleukin ( IL ) -17,IL-6,tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) -α and IL- 10 respectively from Jan 2008 to Jan 2011.At the same time,blood samples from 46 out of the above 100 patients with IMS and those from the 32 controls for positive rate of activation of NF-κB in PBMCs were detected by flow cytometry as well.The relationship between all the data and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome( MODS ) were analyzed respectively.Results As compared with that of control group,the percentage of activated NF-κB in PBMCs in 100 patients with IMS detected by ELISA [ ( 11.042 ± 6.792 ) ％ vs ( 4.528 ± 1.378 ) ％ ] and the positive rate of NF-κB activation in 46 patients with IMS detected by flow cytometry [ ( 28.780 ± 13.820 ) ％ vs (7.078 ±5.395)％ ] were both significantly higher ( P ＜0.01 ).The serum levels of IL-17,IL-6 and IL-10were also significantly higher in patients with IMS than those in control group( P ＜0.01 ).The serum level of TNF-α was higher in patients with IMS than that in control group but without significance( P ＞ 0.05 ).The percentage of activated NF-κB [ ( 14.591 ± 7.626) ％ vs ( 8.576 ± 4.851 ) ％ ],the positive rate of NF-κB activation [ ( 36.087 ± 12.056) ％ vs ( 23.590 ± 11.263 ) ％ ],and the serum levels of IL- 17,IL-6,TNF-α and IL-10 were all significantly higher in IMS patients with MODS than those in IMS patients without MODS ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion The inflammatory factors of NF-κB activation in PBMCs and the high serum levels of IL-17 and IL-6 are potent to cause inflammatory damage in IMS patients,and the serum level of IL-10 is not able to compensate the damage.The activation of NF-κB and high serum levels of IL-17,IL-6 and TNF-α are correlated with MODS.