SERUM IMMUNOREACTIVE INTERLEUKIN-6 AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN-LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-MYELOMA AT DIAGNOSIS

Serum bioactive but not immunoreactive interleukin-6 (IL-6), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP), have been reported to be of prognostic significance in multiple myeloma (MM). We measured serum immunoreactive IL-6 by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 30 MM patients at diagnosis. In 30% of the patients serum immunoreactive IL-6 exceeded the upper reference limit. The concentrations of CRP and IL-6 showed a linear association. Logarithmically transformed IL-6, CRP and Pz-microglobulin were significant variables by univariate survival analysis; by multivariate analysis CRP was a slightly stronger prognostic factor than IL-6 and the only one of independent prognostic significance.