INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6)

Notes :

1. Patient samples may contain heterophilic antibodies or mouse monoclonal antibodies that could react in immunoassays to give a falsely elevated or depressed result.
2. Results should always be interpreted in conjunction with the patient's medical hisotry, clinical presentation and other finding
3. Patients receiving Biotin therapy in high doses (>5mg/day) should not be tested for at least 8 hours after the last dose.
4. Interleukin-6 is a nonspecific marker associated with an inflammatory response and is not diagnostic for any specific disease or disease process.

Comments :

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with a wide range of functions. IL-6 production is rapidly induced in the course of acute inflammatory reactions associated with injury, trauma, stress, infection, brain death, neoplasia, and other situations. Sequential measurements of IL-6 in serum or plasma of patients admitted to the intensive care unit were found to be useful in evaluating the severity of SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome), sepsis & septic shock and to predict the outcome of these patients. IL-6 is also useful as an early alarm marker for the detection of neonatal sepsis. It also plays a role in chronic inflammation e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis.