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Association between interleukin-6 levels and first-ever cerebrovascular events in patients with vascular risk factors

Kaori Miwa1, Makiko Tanaka, Shuhei Okazaki

  • 1Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
|November 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is linked to cerebrovascular events (CVEs) risk. Combining IL-6 with silent lacunar infarction (SLI) improves risk prediction in patients with vascular risk factors.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Inflammation Research

Background:

  • Cerebrovascular events (CVEs) pose a significant health burden.
  • Subclinical vascular disease and inflammatory markers are implicated in CVEs.
  • Early identification of individuals at high risk is crucial for prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between inflammatory markers and the risk of first-ever CVEs.
  • To evaluate the role of subclinical vascular disease in this association.
  • To assess the predictive value of inflammatory markers and subclinical disease for CVEs.

Main Methods:

  • 464 outpatients with vascular risk factors but no prior cardiovascular disease were enrolled.
  • Subclinical vascular disease was assessed using MRI for silent lacunar infarction (SLI) and ultrasound for carotid intima-media thickness.
  • High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-18 were measured.
  • Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations with CVEs over a 4.8-year follow-up.

Main Results:

  • Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was significantly associated with CVEs risk, independent of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and IL-18.
  • The association of IL-6 with CVEs remained significant after adjusting for conventional risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness, and SLI.
  • Patients with both elevated IL-6 and SLI exhibited a substantially higher risk of CVEs compared to those with neither.
  • The combination of IL-6 and SLI improved risk reclassification and discrimination for CVEs.

Conclusions:

  • Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an independent predictor of cerebrovascular events (CVEs).
  • IL-6 levels, particularly in conjunction with silent lacunar infarction (SLI), enhance the prediction of CVE risk.
  • These findings suggest IL-6 and SLI can be valuable biomarkers for identifying high-risk individuals for CVE prevention strategies.
Abstract

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