title: Benefits of posttransplantation monitoring of interleukin 6 in lung transplantation.
abstract: To determine the predictive diagnostic value of interleukin 6 (IL-6) monitoring in lung and heart-lung transplants, we measured posttransplantation serum IL-6 levels in 17 adult lung or heart-lung transplant recipients. Posttransplantation IL-6 elevation patterns were classified into 4 groups: serum IL-6 level remained negative throughout the monitoring period (group 1; n = 1; 6%); several sharp spikes with normal baseline (group 2; n = 9; 53%); persistently high level of serum IL-6 (group 3; n = 3; 18%); and several sharp spikes of serum IL-6 elevation with abnormally high baseline (group 4; n = 4; 24%). One patient without an elevation of IL-6 (group 1) did not experience any episodes of rejection or infection. Nine patients in group 2 had 19 IL-6 spikes, 13 of which were associated with histopathologically or clinically diagnosed rejection, 3 with acute bronchitis, and 1 with diffuse alveolar damage. Three patients in group 3 had persistent infections including cytomegalovirus infection, toxic megacolon, and repeated bacterial infection during the monitoring period, and 4 in group 4 died within 3 months after transplantation. From this study it appears that a spiked elevation of IL-6 could have a predictive value in diagnosing rejection, and persistently high levels of IL-6 indicate the presence of infection. Thus, IL-6 monitoring is beneficial for lung transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dauber
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yousem
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeevi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016041:Heart-Lung Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000601:surgery*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6