Interleukin (IL)-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with a wide range of biological activities. It induces pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions and is rapidly induced in the course of acute inflammatory reactions. IL-6 is produced by lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells and helps regulate immune reactivity, the acute phase response, inflammation, oncogenesis, and hematopoiesis. Studies have shown that IL-6 appears to be both a marker and mediator of sepsis and persists in the plasma much longer than other proinflammatory cytokines.<ref name="Arti5">Interleukin-6. Critical Care Medicine, 33(12 Suppl), S463-5, 2005, Song, M., & Kellum, J. A. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ccm.0000186784.62662.a1 </ref> Therefore IL-6 serves as a valuable biomarker for the early detection of sepsis.

== History of Sepsis ==