Interleukin 6

Notable studies

 * 1998, Interleukin-6 and Disease: Two Case Reports that Point to the Usefulness of Measuring Cytokine Levels in Clinical Settings"Abstract - 'Chronic fatigue syndrome has been associated with patterns of cytokine imbalances whose relevance to disease status remains to be documented. We present here two case reports that illustrate the relevance of measuring interleukin-6 levels in biological fluids in two clinical entities: hypothermia and Sjögren's syndrome. Further studies of this nature in extended patient populations will allow to discern the relevant contribution among the pleiotropy of roles of each particular cytokine in different clinical settings. It becomes apparent from the cases presented that the clinical manifestation of the imbalance in the expression of a particular cytokine is contingent upon the compartment where it occurs and upon levels of other cylokines. Similar studies will allow to define signature cytokine imbalances for each disease condition and may also shed light on thus far uncharacterized etiological agents.'"


 * 2002 : During acute influenza-like symptoms in 19 CFS patients and 10 normal controls an IL-6 challenge was administered: CFS somatic symptoms increased more rapidly in CFS patients compared with controls - cognitive impairment was not affected during the IL-6 challenge.


 * 2016, Illness progression in chronic fatigue syndrome: a shifting immune baseline, Russell et al
 * These findings may serve as a robust biomarker:
 * * IL-1α, higher in recently ill adolescent ME/CFS subjects, was progressively less important with duration.
 * * IL-6, lower in early illness, higher for subjects ill for more than 2 years and over 18 years of age.
 * * IL-8, higher in the recently afflicted, lower for subjects ill for more than 2 years.

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 * Wikipedia - Interleukin 6