In humans with allergic asthma, sputum sIL-6R levels have been shown to be correlated with the number of IL-5 producing CD4+ T cells following allergen challenge and IL-6 levels in sputum have been shown to be associated with a mixed eosinophilic-neutrophilic bronchitis during exacerbations of asthma (38,40). Here, IL6 is linked to asthma.