Interleukin-6, Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome in a Biracial Cohort: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Cohort.

Although IL-6 was higher in Black than in White participants and those with central adiposity, the association of IL-6 with diabetes risk was statistically significant only among White participants without central adiposity. The association with metabolic syndrome risk was similarly stronger in low-risk groups. The results support the concept of interventions to lower inflammation in diabetes prevention, but to reduce race disparities, better biomarkers are needed.