Introduction:

This study investigated the prognostic significance of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in predicting infection severity and mortality among patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Given the high susceptibility of AML patients to infectious complications, the study aimed to evaluate IL-6 as a superior biomarker compared to C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT).

Material and methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 84 AML patients who developed infectious complications during treatment. Biomarkers, including IL-6, CRP, and PCT, were measured at the onset of infection, and infection severity was graded on a scale from 1 to 5. Statistical methods, including Spearman’s rank correlation and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), were applied to determine relationships between biomarker levels, infection severity, and mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to assess the predictive value of IL-6 for mortality, adjusting for demographic and hematological factors.

Results:

IL-6 levels exhibited the strongest correlation with infection severity and mortality (odds ratio 2.45, 95% CI: 1.80–3.33) compared to CRP and PCT. The relationship was particularly pronounced in middle-aged patients (41–60 years). While CRP and PCT also increased with infection severity, IL-6 demonstrated superior predictive power, especially in severe and fatal cases.

Conclusions:

IL-6 is a reliable prognostic biomarker for infection severity and mortality in AML patients, outperforming traditional inflammatory markers. Routine IL-6 monitoring could enable early identification of high-risk patients, facilitating timely interventions and improving outcomes. These findings support the integration of IL-6 monitoring into standard care protocols for AML patients with infectious complications.