Plasma Concentration of Interleukin-6 and the Risk of Future Myocardial Infarction Among Apparently Healthy Men
Key result
Top-quartile baseline IL-6 is linked to ~130% higher MI risk in men.
- RR 2.3
- 95% CI 1.3 to 4.3
- P=0.005
- n=14,916
Why the study?
Epidemiological data evaluating the role of interleukin-6 in atherogenesis and future myocardial infarction risk are sparse.
Does elevated baseline IL-6 increase the risk of future myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men?
Population
14,916 apparently healthy men with 202 MI cases and 202 matched controls
Comparison
Higher versus lower baseline plasma concentration of interleukin-6
Design
Prospective cohort study with matched case-control analysis
Follow-up
6 years
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
IL-6 elevation may flag higher MI risk in healthy men; supports inflammation in early atherogenesis but leaves clinical utility open.
Key Points
- This research aims to evaluate the relationship between interleukin-6 concentrations and the risk of myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men.
- Measured baseline plasma concentration of interleukin-6 in 202 participants who later had myocardial infarction and matched controls.
- Conducted a follow-up over 6 years to track myocardial infarction incidence.
- Compared the median IL-6 levels between groups and analyzed risk using quartiles.
- Men who had a myocardial infarction had higher median IL-6 levels (1.81 pg/mL) compared to those who did not (1.46 pg/mL).
- The relative risk of myocardial infarction increased significantly with higher quartiles of IL-6, with the highest quartile having a 2.3 times greater risk than the lowest.
- Each quartile increase in IL-6 was associated with a 38% increase in MI risk.
Study Design
Type
Cohort (n=14,916)
Blinding
null
Randomization
null
Multicenter
No
Structured PICO
Does elevated baseline IL-6 increase the risk of future myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men?
P
Population
Apparently healthy US male physicians 40 to 84 years of age with no prior history of myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or cancer
I
Intervention
Elevated baseline plasma concentration of Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
C
Comparator
Lower baseline plasma concentration of Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
O
Outcome
Future myocardial infarction (MI)hard clinical
Main Result
Effect estimate: RR 2.3 (95% CI 1.3 to 4.3)
Absolute Event Rate: 1.81% vs 1.46%
p-value: p=0.005
Elevated baseline levels of IL-6 in apparently healthy men are associated with a significantly increased risk of future myocardial infarction, supporting the role of inflammation in early atherogenesis.
Limitations
- Single baseline blood sample used, limiting variation analysis.
- Non-uniform blood sample collection time may affect results.
- Based on a single baseline blood sample, unable to account for variation over time
- Blood samples were not obtained at a uniform time of day, potentially limited by diurnal variation
- Samples were stored frozen, cannot completely exclude the possibility of protein degradation
Coverage & sources
Journal, society, and media accounts. Useful signal, not independent expert judgment.
Cite This Study
Ridker et al. (2000) conducted a cohort in Myocardial Infarction (n=14,916). Plasma IL-6 concentration vs. null was evaluated on Risk of future myocardial infarction (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.3, p=0.005). Men in the highest quartile of baseline IL-6 concentration had a 2.3 times higher risk of future myocardial infarction compared to those in the lowest quartile.