IL6 and infection: In addition to the immunologic functions of IL-6 in the acute-phase response, infections, inflammation, and cancer, IL-6 exerts multiple pleiotropic effects on other cell types, thereby regulating metabolism, hematopoiesis, and the neuroendocrine system.26 Although suPAR has been found to be associated with clinical outcomes independent of IL-6,25 whether the combined use of IL-6 and suPAR also provides additive information about inflammatory burden is unknown.