Patients with hospital infections had significantly higher IL-6 levels at all time points (day 0: 51.98 pg/ml vs. 19.44 pg/ml, P < 0.001; day 3: 28.67 pg/ml vs 7.77 pg/ml, P < 0.001; day 7: 19.54 pg/ml vs. 5.71 pg/ml, P = 0.0011). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is infection.