title: Predictive value of higher plasma interleukin-6 levels in patients with febrile neutropenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with various hematologic malignancies with 31 neutropenia episodes were enrolled in the study. Fever developed in 26 patients, 14 clinically severe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median 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]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma IL-6 levels may guide to management of febrile neutropenic patients and may be used as predictive factor for poor outcome in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Istanbul, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. makifkaran@ihlas.net.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein