Association between serum interleukin- 6 concentrations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its relation to severity, acute exacerbation, and its effect on pulmonary function test

What is it about?

The main reason for the severity of COPD is an exacerbation. Patients with COPD who experience repeated infectious exacerbations have higher rates of morbidity and increased death. The purpose of this study is to determine how blood interleukin- 6 levels affect pulmonary function tests and how these levels relate to the severity and acute exacerbation of COPD.

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Why is it important?

The high specificity (93.5%) implies that IL- 6 is very effective in correctly identifying patients who are genuinely at high risk for frequent exacerbations. In practice, this can support targeted intervention strategies, such as closer monitoring, tailored pharmacological management (e.g., prophylactic antibiotics or inhaled corticosteroids), and early pulmonary rehabilitation referrals for these patients. The moderate-to-high sensitivity (73.7%) indicates that IL- 6 is also reasonably reliable in identifying most patients at risk, though a small proportion may still be missed. This makes IL- 6 a useful screening tool, especially when combined with clinical risk scores or imaging findings. Importantly, IL- 6 testing is feasible in routine clinical practice, as it can be measured using standard ELISA kits or automated immunoassay platforms available in many hospital laboratories. Its use could enhance risk stratification protocols for COPD management, especially in settings where exacerbation prevention is a key therapeutic goal.