IL6 and necrotizing enterocolitis: However, the ratio between infants with NEC and controls was much higher for the cytokines discussed above (Il-6: 38-fold, IL-6: 56-fold; IL-8 32-fold) than for these cytokines (IL-2: 3.8-fold; IL-4: 5.9-fold; IL-5 3.2-fold; IFN-gamma 1.4-fold).