Serum IL-6 levels could discriminate sepsis (area under the curve [AUC], 0.83–0.94, P <  0.001; cut-off value, 52.60 pg/mL, 80.4% sensitivity, 88.9% specificity) from controls and could distinguish septic shock (AUC, 0.71–0.89; cut-off value, 348.92 pg/mL, 76.1% sensitivity, 78.4% specificity) from sepsis. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is Sepsis.