Predictive Value of Higher Plasma Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients with Febrile Neutropenia

Background ts with febrile neutropenia require hospitalization and prompt empirical treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Patients experiencing severe febrile neutropenia episodes need a longer hospitalization period and close follow-up, but those with mild episodes might derive limited benefit from a lengthy hospital stay. This study investigated whether plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) level has a predictive value in prognosis of febrile neutropenia. s -six patients with various hematologic malignancies with 31 neutropenia episodes were enrolled in the study. Fever developed in 26 patients, 14 clinically severe. s plasma IL-6 and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels obtained during the first day of febrile episodes were found significantly higher in severe febrile neutropenia episodes compared to mild episodes (median IL-6: 92.5 pg/mL [range 40.0–650.0] vs. 23.3 pg/mL [range 15.0–65.0], p <0.00001; median CRP: 48 mg/dL [range 16–96] vs. 24 mg/dL [range 16–48, p = 0.0]). sions IL-6 levels may guide to management of febrile neutropenic patients and may be used as predictive factor for poor outcome in these patients.