IL6 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Twenty-seven patients with COPD (50%), 9 asymptomatic smokers (43%) and 1 never-smoker (5%) displayed a systemic inflammation according to the definition proposed by Agusti and colleagues [15] (at least two elevated parameters: leukocytes > 8.6 106/ml, c-reactive protein > 8.7 mg/l, fibrinogen > 5.18 g/l, Interleukin-6 > 2.6 pg/ml) (Table 2).