Serum interleukin-6 levels as an indicator of aseptic meningitis among children with enterovirus 71-induced hand, foot and mouth disease.

The results of this study suggest the association between higher production of cytokine and aseptic meningitis among children with EV71-induced HFMD. IL-6 was also suggested as an indicator of aseptic meningitis. Rapid measurement of IL-6 could be useful in deciding whether physicians should perform lumbar puncture on children.