الفهرس 
Prognostic and diagnostic utility of interleukin-6 in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension
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Abstract
Back ground: Interleukin -6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine, playing an important role on inflammation, immune response, and hematopoiesis. In a multivariate analysis, increased IL-6 levels predicted mortality, and elevated IL-6 levels in PAH patients were taken as an independent predictor of adverse outcome.
Aim of the work: To assess whether circulating interleukin 6 is increased in PAH cases and associated with prognosis and mortality in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Patients and method: IL-6 was measured by ELISA in serum samples from PAH case group (n=40) children aged (1– 12 years) compared with age and sex matched control group (n=40). Associations between IL-6, disease severity, and mortality were studied with non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests.
Results: In analyses adjusted for age and sex, there was statistically significant increased IL-6 level among PAH cases 1.85 ng/L (1.45 ng/L-2.85 ng/L) compared to control group 1.30 ng/L (1.10 ng/L-2.05 ng/L) with p-value =0.004. IL-6 at cut off point 1.45ng/L may significantly predict pulmonary hypertension in children with p-value=0.002, AUC=0.685, 75% sensitivity, and 65% specificity. There was no statistically significant association between IL-6 level and degree of PAH with p-value=0.218. There was no statistically significant association between IL-6 level and mortality with p-value=0.662.
Conclusion: IL-6 may significantly predict pulmonary hypertension in pediatric patients but there was no association between IL-6 level and degree of PAH or mortality. IL-6 may provide a less costly, less residency, and less invasive method for disease detection.