Establishing the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum interleukin 6 levels in sepsis

Iudita Maria Badea; Agota Evelyn Timar; Oana Coman; Valentina Negrea

doi:10.2478/amma-2020-0014

Iudita Maria Badea Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Clinic, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “G. E. Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
Agota Evelyn Timar Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Clinic, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “G. E. Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
Oana Coman Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Clinic, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “G. E. Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
Valentina Negrea Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “G. E. Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2020-0014

Keywords: interleukin-6, sepsis, mortality

Abstract

Objective: Establishing a serological profile of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in order to evaluate its usefulness as a biological marker for the diagnosis and early prognosis in sepsis.

Materials and Methods: The study included 246 individuals, divided into 2 groups: 131 in the septic subgroup (S) and 115 in the septic shock (SS) subgroup. Inflammatory markers, bacteriological examinations and laboratory samples were determined within 24 hours of the first signs of infection. Severity scores were also calculated within the first day of the onset of sepsis.

Results: The SS subgroup (median 121.2 pg/ml, 18.59-10235 pg/ml; SD = 1920) shows significantly higher values of IL-6, compared to the S subgroup (median 43.49 pg/ml, 13, 27-6566 pg/ml; SD = 1367) (p = 0.0026). The SS subgroup has a significantly higher death rate than S subgroup (p = 0.001). The cut-off values of the mortality prediction degree were 184.74 pg/ml. The area under the curve of the cytokine IL-6 for the differentiation of sepsis from septic shock was 0.693 (95% CI 0.582-0.790, p = 0.002). The optimal value of the cut-off that allows the differentiation of the septic subgroup from the one with organ dysfunction, was 52.72 pg / ml.

Conclusion: Serum IL-6 values are significantly higher in the septic shock group. All deceased patients had higher IL-6 serum values.

Keywords: interleukin-6, sepsis, mortality.