Interleukin (IL)-6 is a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory capacities, produced by different cells and tissues, such as leukocytes, adipocytes, and endothelium. From the viewpoint of cardiologists, this cytokine is a reliable biomarker of cardiac dysfunction, occurrence of atrial fibrillation, cardiac myxoma with recurrence, remote metastasis or embolization, and atherosclerotic processes. Although IL-6 levels were detected in patients undergoing cardiac operations and reported sporadically, the perioperative kinetics of IL-6 in cardiac surgical patients was insufficiently elaborated. The influencing factors, clinical implications, and causative effects of IL-6 on clinical outcomes and potential treatment choices among cardiac surgical patients remained to be clarified as well. The purpose of this article is to discuss these aspects of IL-6 in patients undergoing a cardiac operation.

中文翻译：

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IL-6和心脏手术。

白细胞介素（IL）-6是具有促炎和抗炎功能的多效性炎性细胞因子，由不同的细胞和组织（例如白细胞，脂肪细胞和内皮细胞）产生。从心脏病专家的角度来看，该细胞因子是心脏功能障碍，房颤发生，复发性心脏粘液瘤，远处转移或栓塞以及动脉粥样硬化过程的可靠生物标志物。尽管在进行心脏手术的患者中检测到IL-6水平并偶尔报告，但是在心脏外科手术患者中IL-6的围手术期动力学还不够详细。IL-6对心脏手术患者的临床结局和潜在治疗选择的影响因素，临床意义和致病作用还有待阐明。