Interleukin-6 serum levels are independently associated with severe adenovirus pneumonia in children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the potential association between interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum levels and severe adenovirus pneumonia (SAP) in children. METHODS: A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on children with SAP who presented to the Tianjin Children’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2020. Serum IL-6 levels were categorized into quintiles (Q1–5). The primary outcome variable was the occurrence of SAP. The patients’ clinical features, laboratory findings, and radiographic characteristics were also assessed, and a descriptive bivariate analysis was carried out. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the relationship of IL-6 with SAP after adjustment for confounders. The nonlinear relationship between IL-6 and SAP was also analyzed. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In total, 542 patients met our inclusion criteria (223 males and 319 females). The mean IL-6 serum level was 38.51 pg/mL (range, 1.50–659.2 pg/mL). After adjustment for confounders, the odds ratio (OR) per SD (standard deviation) increase in IL-6 was 1.66 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 2.41]. The multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CI) of SAP across the Q1–Q5 categories of IL-6 were as follows: 1.00 (reference), 1.17 (0.59, 2.35), 1.79 (0.88, 3.63), 2.31 (1.12, 4.76), and 2.85 (1.32, 6.14) (P for trend =0.002). The risk of SAP increased with the IL-6 serum level up to 40.78 pg/mL (adjusted OR 1.029, 95% CI: 1.008–1.051; P=0.007); however, when the IL-6 level exceeded 40.78 pg/mL, it had no association with the risk of SAP (OR 1.003, 95% CI: 0.996–1.010; P=0.384). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the serum level of IL-6 is associated with the risk of SAP in children. The levels of IL-6 in children should therefore be of concern to clinicians.