Interleukin-6 Causes Myocardial Failure and Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Rats

Abstract

IL-6 clearly caused ventilatory and peripheral skeletal muscle atrophy, even after short-term administration. Blood flow redistribution, resulting from the myocardial failure induced by IL-6, was likely responsible for this muscle atrophy, because IL-6 did not exert any direct effect on the diaphragm.