Comparison of Urine and Serum Concentrations of Interleukin-6 in Women with Acute Pyelonephritis or Asymtomatic Bacteriuria
- 1 September 1992
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Vol. 166 (3) , 653-656
- https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/166.3.653
Abstract
The mucosal and systemic interleukin-6 (IL-6) response to urinary tract infection was analyzed in women with acute pyelonephritis or asymptomatic bacteriuria. Urine and serum samples were obtained at diagnosis and after treatment. IL-6 activity was elevated in urine samples from most bacteriuric women, regardless of the severity of infection. Urinary levels >20 units/mL occurred in 25 of 29 women with acute pyelonephritis and in 36 of 42 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Elevated serum IL-6 levels were found mainly in patients with acute pyelonephritis: Levels >20 units/mL occurred in 14 of 28 women with acute pyelonephritis compared with 0 of 28 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. These results suggest that bacteriuria is accompanied by elevated urinary IL-6 levels and that this IL-6 is locally produced. The spread of IL-6 to the circulation in patients with acute pyelonephritis may contribute to the elevation of fever and C-reactive protein characteristic of the disease.Keywords
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