Objective: Obese patients demonstrate a variety of biochemical, metabolic, and pulmonary abnormalities. Inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-␣ and interleukin-6 (IL-6) may have a direct effect on glucose and lipid metabolism. Hypoxemia in itself induces release of IL-6. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between IL-6 levels in healthy volunteers (control group) and three different groups of obese patients: patients without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), patients with OSAS, and patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) (daytime baseline oxygen saturation of Ͻ93%).
Research Methods and Procedures:We measured serum IL-6 levels in 25 obese patients (body mass index of Ͼ35 kg/m 2 ) and 12 healthy women.
Results:The results demonstrate statistically significant differences in serum IL-6 levels between the control group (1.28 Ϯ 0.85 pg/mL) and obese patients without OSAS (7.69 Ϯ 5.06 pg/mL, p Ͻ 0.05) and with OSAS (5.58 Ϯ 0.37 pg/mL, p Ͻ 0.0005). In the patients with OHS, IL-6 concentrations were highest (43.13 Ϯ 24.27 pg/mL). Discussion: We conclude that serum IL-6 is increased in obese patients. The highest IL-6 levels were found in the patients with OHS.
In this randomized, double-blind, prospective study of patients during and after coronary artery bypass surgery, we examined whether small-dose ketamine added to general anesthesia before cardiopulmonary bypass suppresses the increase of the serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration. Serum IL-6 levels correlate with the patient's clinical course during and after coronary artery bypass. Ketamine suppresses the increase of serum IL-6 during and after coronary artery bypass surgery.
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