Objectives. The association between abnormal serum immunomarkers and mortality in 53 consecutive Parkinson's disease patients was studied. Materials and Methods. The plasma level of specific inflammatory cytokines was investigated: mannan-binding lectin (MBL), interleukin- (IL-) 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). The baseline serum immunomarkers obtained from patients who died (n = 16) during a four-year follow-up period were compared with the data of patients who survived (n = 37). Results. The baseline level of IL-6 was significantly higher in the deceased patients than in the survivors. Elevated IL-6 levels and age were major independent contributors to disease mortality. Differences between other plasma cytokine level abnormalities were not significant. Conclusion. This study showed that IL-6 elevation may be a marker of increased mortality risk in Parkinson's disease patients. The inflammation may act in association with other factors and comorbidities in progressive neurodegenerative pathology.

1st Department of Neurology Masaryk University St Anne's University Hospital 656 91 Brno Czech Republic

1st Department of Neurology Masaryk University St Anne's University Hospital 656 91 Brno Czech Republic ; Central European Institute of Technology Brain and Mind Research Programme 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University St Anne's University Hospital 656 91 Brno Czech Republic

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Interleukin 6 and complement serum level study in Parkinson's disease