This assay can be used to aid in the management of critically ill patients as early indicator for acute inflammation.
Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with a wide range of functions. It was first described as interferon‐β2, plasmacytoma growth factor, and hepatocyte stimulating factor. Later on it was described as human B‐cell‐stimulating factor 2 (BSF2). In 1988 it was proposed to name it IL‐6 as further studies have demonstrated that the protein shows activities not only on B‐cells but also on T‐cells, hematopoietic stem cells, hepatocytes and brain cells. IL‐6 is produced from a single gene encoding a product of 212 amino acids, which is cleaved at the N‐terminus to produce a 184 amino acid peptide with a molecular weight between 22‐27 kDa. In 1989 it was reported that also immunoreactive complexes in the range of 60‐70 kDa were detected in human body fluids in patients with acute bacterial infections.
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.
IL‐6 concentrations in trauma patients may predict later complications from additional surgical stress or indicate missed injuries or complications. Sequential measurements of IL‐6 in serum or plasma of patients admitted to the ICU (intensive care unit) showed to be useful in evaluating the severity of SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome), sepsis and 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. IL‐6 also plays a role in chronic inflammation e.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA).