title: Interleukin-6 concentration in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the investigation was to determine pleiotropic cytokine IL-6 concentrations in serum and CSF of MS patients, with regard to clinical circumstances.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study covered 27 MS patients: 23-51 years old; in the 2-7 clinical stage according to Kurtzke's Scale; mean 3.6 +/- 1.8; disease duration time ranged between 2-22 years. Serum and CSF interleukin-6 were determined by the use of commercial ELISA kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increase of Il-6 in serum of MS patients was found (12.1 +/- 1.8 pg/ml) in comparison to the control group (6.6 +/- 4.5 pg/ml) (p = 0.03). Concentration of IL-6 in CSF of MS patients was 13.4 +/- 1.77 pg/ml and in the majority of patients it was higher than in the serum. The highest mean of IL-6 concentrations in serum and CSF have been found in patients at the longer disease duration time, although there were not statistically significant. We have found some degree of dependence between serum IL-6 concentration and the level of disability in Kurtzke's scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 participation in the basic MS immune processes is confirmed by its elevated concentration in serum and CSF, its relation to disease severity with the more expressed rise in cerebrospinal fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University, ul. Lubartowska 85, 20-123 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Stelmasiak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozioł-Montewka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dobosz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rejdak
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bartosik-Psujek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitosek-Szewczyk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belniak-Legieć
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6