Malaguarnera M, Trovato B A, Laurino A, Di Fazio I, Romeo M A, Motta M
Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics University of Catania, Italy.
Panminerva Med. 1996 Dec;38(4):207-10.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in numerous diseases but the correlation between liver fibrosis and IL-6 role is not clear. We studied IL-6 levels in 50 HCVAb+ patients with liver cirrhosis (grouped into A, B and C, Child classes) and in 27 healthy control subjects. IL-6 serum levels were significantly increased in the former (p < 0.005) suggesting that IL-6 stimulates and sustains liver fibrosis. In cirrhotic subjects, the rise in IL-6 serum levels is due to impaired hepatic clearance of this cytokine, while its production remains steady.
