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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Interleukin-6 gene variants and the risk of sepsis development in children
Jaroslav Michalek1, Petra Svetlikova, Michal Fedora
11st Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
Insights
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene variations are linked to sepsis risk and severity in children. Specific IL-6 polymorphisms may predict a child's likelihood of developing or worsening sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Pediatric critical care
- Immunology
Background:
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a key proinflammatory cytokine in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, and septic shock.
- Understanding the genetic predisposition to sepsis in children is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between IL-6 gene polymorphisms (G-174>C and G-572>C) and the risk/severity of sepsis in pediatric patients.
- To determine if IL-6 gene variants can serve as predictors for sepsis development and progression in children.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed DNA from 421 pediatric patients in intensive care and 644 healthy controls.
- Genotyped two specific IL-6 gene polymorphisms: G-174>C and G-572>C.
- Compared allele and genotype frequencies between patient groups and controls, and among different clinical subgroups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in frequencies of both IL-6 G-174>C and G-572>C variants were observed between pediatric patients and healthy controls.
- The IL-6 G-174>C polymorphism showed significant associations with disease severity, with the CC genotype being prevalent in severe cases like septic shock compared to febrile or SIRS subgroups.
- No significant differences in the IL-6 G-572>C polymorphism were found across different patient diagnoses.
Conclusions:
- IL-6 gene polymorphisms, particularly G-174>C, may act as predictive markers for the risk and severity of sepsis in pediatric populations.
- Further research into IL-6 genetic variants could lead to improved risk stratification and personalized treatment strategies for pediatric sepsis.
Abstract:
A proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an important role in the development, pathogenesis and outcome of SIRS, sepsis and septic shock. We have evaluated the role of the IL-6 gene polymorphisms in pediatric patients. A total of 421 consecutive pediatric patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or multiple organ distress syndrome (MODS) were studied together with 644 healthy controls. DNA was isolated and two IL-6 gene polymorphisms (G-174>C and G-572>C) were analyzed. The frequencies of both analyzed variants differ significantly between the group of patients and healthy controls (p = 0.02 for G-174>C and p = 0.049 for G-572>C). In addition, genetic analysis of the G-174>C IL-6 gene variant revealed significant differences between the subgroup of febrile patients and subgroup of septic shock (p = 0.0319) and between the subgroup of SIRS and septic shock (p = 0.038). In both cases the negative genotype was CC. No statistically significant differences for the IL-6 gene polymorphism G-572>C were found between the groups of patients with different diagnosis. IL-6 gene polymorphisms G-174>C and G-572>C could be the predictors of risk of development and/or the predictors of the severity of sepsis in children.
