title: Comparison of urine and serum concentrations of interleukin-6 in women with acute pyelonephritis or asymptomatic bacteriuria.
abstract: The mucosal and systemic interleukin-6 (IL-6) response to urinary tract infection was analyzed in women with acute pyelonephritis or asymptomatic bacteriuria. Urine and serum samples were obtained at diagnosis and after treatment. IL-6 activity was elevated in urine samples from most bacteriuric women, regardless of the severity of infection. Urinary levels greater than 20 units/mL occurred in 25 of 29 women with acute pyelonephritis and in 36 of 42 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Elevated serum IL-6 levels were found mainly in patients with acute pyelonephritis: Levels greater than 20 units/mL occurred in 14 of 28 women with acute pyelonephritis compared with 0 of 28 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. These results suggest that bacteriuria is accompanied by elevated urinary IL-6 levels and that this IL-6 is locally produced. The spread of IL-6 to the circulation in patients with acute pyelonephritis may contribute to the elevation of fever and C-reactive protein characteristic of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hedges
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stenqvist
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lidin-Janson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinell
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svanborg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6