title: Serum interleukin-6 levels during bone marrow transplantation: impact on transplant-related toxicity and engraftment.
abstract: The biological properties of IL-6 include the induction of acute phase proteins, stimulation of hematopoietic stem cell growth and thrombopoiesis. Serum levels of IL-6 were closely monitored in 66 patients before and after allogeneic (n = 37), autologous bone marrow transplantation (n = 8) or autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (n = 21). Almost every patient showed elevated IL-6 serum levels during the aplastic phase. Patients then suffered from mucositis, had elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and usually body temperatures of above 38 degrees C. It was investigated whether IL-6 serum levels, apart from inducing acute phase reactions, correlated with transplant-related complications or leukocyte and thrombocyte engraftment. By statistical analysis, a correlation was found between IL-6 and CRP and between IL-6 and fever. In contrast, no correlation was found between IL-6 and elevated serum bilirubin as a marker for hepatotoxicity. IL-6 showed a weak negative correlation with leukocyte or platelet counts. In contrast, the day of platelet engraftment correlated with the day of peak serum IL-6 value, possibly indicating an influence of IL-6 on platelet engraftment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dürken
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pichlmeier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von dem Busche
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stockschläder
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Budde-Steffen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zander
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000032:analysis; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001663:Bilirubin