The role of IL-6 in pulmonary emphysema with recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax in a young woman: A case report

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is characterized by the occurrence of pneumothorax in the absence of any underlying lung disease. The pulmonary abnormalities found in patients with PSP have been identified as emphysema-like such as blebs and bullae. Even though until now, the mechanism of the immune response related to the formation of emphysema is still unclear, several studies have investigated the effect of cytokines on the incidence of emphysema, one of them is the IL-6 cytokine group. A 29 years old female has been reported with a recurrent left primary spontaneous pneumothorax with CT scan results of paraseptal and centrilobular emphysema of the superior and middle lobes of the right lung. IL6 examination showed an increase titer (13.256 pg/ mL) which was associated with the emphysema incidence in the patient’s lung. IL-6 is a substance activated by T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, fibroblasts, and activated macrophages. This cytokine is recognized for its role in mediating numerous inflammatory processes within the lung. The erratic secretion of IL-6 has been associated with the development of various respiratory conditions, encompassing asthma, COPD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Various mediators have been shown to increase in the lungs of patient with emphysema; one of them is IL-6. Further research is needed to get the benefits from the direct anti-IL-6 therapy in emphysema.