Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 12: A breakthrough study by UK researchers has spotlighted interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a powerful early-warning biomarker for sepsis, potentially transforming diagnosis and treatment for some of the most at-risk groups—newborns, children, and pregnant women.
Sepsis, a critical medical emergency triggered by the body’s extreme response to infection, continues to be a major global killer, responsible for an estimated 11 million deaths each year. Those with compromised or developing immune systems, such as infants under five and expectant mothers, are especially vulnerable.
In a first-of-its-kind real-world investigation, researchers examined 252 patients with suspected sepsis across three key groups: 111 paediatric, 72 maternity, and 69 neonatal cases. The focus? Whether IL-6 could beat out traditional biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and Procalcitonin (PCT) in speed and accuracy of detection.
The results were striking: IL-6 consistently outperformed CRP and PCT in distinguishing bacterial infections from non-bacterial ones, and also proved effective in classifying the severity of the condition—ranging from mild infection to full-blown septic shock.
Lead researcher Dr. Sean Whelan highlighted IL-6's standout trait—its rapid response time. “While CRP and PCT take 24 to 48 hours to peak, IL-6 surges within just 1–2 hours, peaks by 6 hours, and fades by the 24-hour mark,” he explained. “This early spike is a crucial window for diagnosis and intervention, especially in fragile patient groups.”
The accelerated response makes IL-6 a game-changer in clinical settings, potentially allowing doctors to initiate timely, targeted treatments before the condition escalates.
Presented at the ESCMID Global 2025 Congress in Austria, the study marks the first to test IL-6’s performance across paediatric, neonatal, and maternity patients outside controlled lab environments.
“Our research strongly supports IL-6 as a critical tool for sepsis diagnosis,” Dr. Whelan noted. “With wider clinical adoption, paired with careful medical judgment, this could vastly improve patient outcomes and save countless lives.”