Baseline Interleukin-6 as a Preoperative Biomarker for Liver Fibrosis

Dominik Thomas Koch; Dionysios Koliogiannis; Moritz Drefs; Malte Schirren; Viktor von Ehrlich-Treuenstätt; Hanno Nieß; Bernhard Renz; Matthias Ilmer; Joachim Andrassy; Markus O Guba; Jens Werner; Florian Kühn

doi:10.1159/000535627

Baseline Interleukin-6 as a Preoperative Biomarker for Liver Fibrosis

Visc Med. 2024 Jan;39(6):184-192. doi: 10.1159/000535627. Epub 2023 Dec 27.

Authors

Dominik Thomas Koch^{1

2

3}, Dionysios Koliogiannis^{1

2

3}, Moritz Drefs^{1

2

3}, Malte Schirren^{1

2

3}, Viktor von Ehrlich-Treuenstätt¹, Hanno Nieß^{1

2

3

4}, Bernhard Renz^{1

2

3

5}, Matthias Ilmer^{1

2

3

5}, Joachim Andrassy^{1

2

3}, Markus O Guba^{1

2

3}, Jens Werner^{1

2

3

4

5}, Florian Kühn¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
² Transplantation Center Munich, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
³ Liver Center Munich, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
⁴ Biobanc of the Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
⁵ German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.

PMID: 38205272
PMCID: PMC10775852 (available on 2025-01-01)
DOI: 10.1159/000535627

Abstract

Introduction: Liver (hepatic) fibrosis (LF) is characterized by impaired function and regenerative capacity of the liver and can lead to significantly increased morbidity and mortality in the context of surgical liver resection (LR). For this reason, it is crucial to identify the extent of LF preoperatively. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of LF, but its exact value as a preoperative marker is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between preoperatively determined IL-6 and the presence of LF.

Methods: In this prospective study, IL-6 was determined in 134 consecutive patients undergoing LR. Patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and patients with clinical or laboratory signs of inflammation were excluded. LF was graded by a blinded pathologist with regard to the degree of LF according to the Desmet classification (0-4). Baseline IL-6 and degree of LF were correlated.

Results: A total of 134 patients were prospectively included prior to LR. For 104 patients, LF was graded and inflammatory parameters were available. Thirty-five of these patients showed LC (Desmet 4), and another 33 patients showed preoperatively elevated inflammatory markers. Two of the remaining patients were liver transplant patients. These patients were excluded from the final analysis. According to Desmet, the remaining 34 patients had LF grade 0 or 1 (none or minimal LF) in 26 cases and LF grade 2 or 3 (moderate-to-severe LF) in 8 cases. Correlation of LF with preoperatively determined IL-6 yielded significantly higher IL-6 levels in the group of patients with moderate-to-severe LF (Desmet 2 or 3) compared to the group with none or minimal LF (Desmet 0 or 1; p = 0.0495).

Conclusion: In the context of LR, our results showed a correlation of preoperatively determined IL-6 with the extent of LF present. Higher serum baseline IL-6 concentrations were associated with a higher degree of LF, whereas no other blood parameter or score was that predictive for LF. Our results suggest that baseline IL-6 might serve as a valuable parameter to assess LF prior to LR. More patients need to be analyzed to further evaluate and confirm the predictive accuracy of IL-6 for LF.

Keywords: Interleukin-6; Liver fibrosis; Liver resection.

Grants and funding

Not applicable.