IL6 and malaria: Subgroup analysis of continents showed no difference in IL-6 levels between patients with severe malaria and non-severe malaria among studies conducted in Africa (P = 0.121, WMD = 98.52 pg/mL, 95% CI =  − 26.02 –223.07 pg/mL, I2 = 100%, nine studies) and Asia (P = 0.073, WMD = 92.59 pg/mL, 95% CI =  − 8.69 –193.86 pg/mL, I2 = 99.7%, four studies, Fig. 3).