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Fetal and early neonatal interleukin-6 response

Claudio Chiesa1, Lucia Pacifico2, Fabio Natale2

  • 1Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy.

Cytokine
|April 20, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Elevated fetal interleukin-6 (IL-6) indicates an inflammatory response, predicting neonatal complications like early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) and white matter injury (WMI). This review examines IL-6

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal medicine
  • Neonatology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Systemic fetal cytokine response, marked by elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6), identified in 1998 as a risk factor for neonatal morbidity.
  • IL-6 blood concentrations are increasingly studied as markers for fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS), early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), and white matter injury (WMI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • Critically review the biological functions of IL-6.
  • Evaluate the evidence linking IL-6 to preterm birth, FIRS, and EONS.
  • Assess IL-6's role in predicting neonatal outcomes, including WMI.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on IL-6 in fetal and neonatal periods.
  • Analysis of IL-6 reference intervals and dynamics.
  • Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy studies for EONS using IL-6.

Main Results:

  • IL-6 is a significant indicator of fetal inflammation and a predictor of neonatal morbid events.
  • Evidence supports the association between IL-6, preterm birth, FIRS, and EONS.
  • Recent studies highlight the link between fetal IL-6, EONS, and WMI.

Conclusions:

  • IL-6 is a crucial biomarker in perinatal medicine for identifying inflammatory states and predicting adverse neonatal outcomes.
  • Further research is needed to refine the diagnostic and prognostic utility of IL-6.
  • Understanding IL-6 dynamics is essential for managing high-risk pregnancies and neonates.

Keywords:
Diagnostic accuracyEarly-onset neonatal sepsisFetal inflammatory response syndromeInterleukin-6Reference intervals

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