Shinya Iwase1, Taka-Aki Nakada2, Noriyuki Hattori1, Waka Takahashi1, Nozomi Takahashi1, Tuerxun Aizimu3, Masahiro Yoshida4, Toshio Morizane5, Shigeto Oda1. 1. Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba 260-8677, Japan. 2. Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba 260-8677, Japan. Electronic address: taka.nakada@chiba-u.jp. 3. Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. 4. Department of Hemodialysis and Surgery, Chemotherapy Research Institute, Kaken Hospital, Chiba, Japan. 5. Japan Council for Quality Health Care, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ability of blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6 to differentiate between infection and non-infection in critically ill patients with suspected infection is unclear. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of serum IL-6 levels for the diagnosis of infection in critically ill patients. METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Resister of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases for studies published from 1986 to August 2016 that evaluated the accuracy of IL-6 levels for the diagnosis of infection. We constructed 2 × 2 tables and calculated summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity using a bivariate random-effects model. RESULTS: The literature search identified 775 articles, six of which with a total of 527 patients were included according to the predefined criteria. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.82), 0.76 (95% CI, 0.61-0.87), and 2.31 (95% CI, 1.20-3.48), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.85). In the secondary analysis of two studies with a total of 263 adult critically ill patients with organ dysfunction, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.86), 0.77 (95% CI, 0.67-0.84), and 2.87 (95% CI 2.15-3.60), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Blood levels of IL-6 have a moderate diagnostic value and a potential clinical utility to differentiate infection in critically ill patients with suspected infection.
BACKGROUND: The ability of blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6 to differentiate between infection and non-infection in critically illpatients with suspected infection is unclear. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of serum IL-6 levels for the diagnosis of infection in critically illpatients. METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Resister of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases for studies published from 1986 to August 2016 that evaluated the accuracy of IL-6 levels for the diagnosis of infection. We constructed 2 × 2 tables and calculated summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity using a bivariate random-effects model. RESULTS: The literature search identified 775 articles, six of which with a total of 527 patients were included according to the predefined criteria. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.82), 0.76 (95% CI, 0.61-0.87), and 2.31 (95% CI, 1.20-3.48), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.85). In the secondary analysis of two studies with a total of 263 adult critically ill patients with organ dysfunction, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.86), 0.77 (95% CI, 0.67-0.84), and 2.87 (95% CI 2.15-3.60), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Blood levels of IL-6 have a moderate diagnostic value and a potential clinical utility to differentiate infection in critically illpatients with suspected infection.