title: Interleukin-6 serum level assessment using a new qualitative point-of-care test in sepsis: A comparison with ELISA measurements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in inflammatory diseases, provides prognostical information, and allows the early identification and monitoring of septic patients. We investigated whether IL-6 can be assessed using a new densitometric point-of-care (POC) bedside assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  392 samples were prospectively collected from 57 intensive care unit patients (38 male, age: 45.2 +/- 16.9years, APACHE II score: 25.4 +/- 4.8). Blinded IL-6 measurements were performed using conventional semiautomatic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and the POC test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean IL-6 levels were 102.9 +/- 388.6pg/mL (ELISA) and 97.0 +/- 535.5 (POC). A significant correlation was found (p < 0.0001, r = 0.92). The sensitivity/specificity for sepsis was 82.6%/86.5% (ELISA, AUC: 0.881), and 76.4%/95.0% (POC, AUC: 0.868).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we demonstrate significant correlations of IL-6 levels determined using a POC test and semiautomatic ELISA. ROC analyses revealed no significant differences between the two tests. With a turn-around time of 20min, the bedside IL-6 test is a new tool that may help to initiate early goal-directed therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Intensive Care, Charité University Medicine, Campus Virchow Clinic, Berlin, Germany. schefold@charite.de
authors.forename: Joerg C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schefold
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasper
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Haehling
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reinke
authors.forename: Hans-Georg
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Schlosser
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6