Abstract： Objective The interleukin-1β (IL-13) expression in serum of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients was evaluated. To explore the significance of IL-1β in leukostasis and tissue infiltration by leukemic cells. Methods ELISA was used to investigate the contents of IL-1β in serum of 83 newly diagnosed with AML which contains 16 hyperleukocytic AML patients, and compared the IL-1β level between the hyperleukocytic AML group and non-hyperleukocytic AML group, the infiltrated group and non-infiltrated group. Results The content of IL-1β in AML serum [(88.23±36.30) pg/ml] was higher than that of in the control group[(29.56±15.53) pg/ml], with significant difference (P ＜0.01). There was a higher level for IL-1β in hyperleukocytic AML group[(136.67±65.68) pg/ml] than in non-hyperleukocytic AML group [(69.85±48.35) pg/ml],and there was a significant difference. IL-13 and peripheral blood cells were in linear correlation (r=0.74, P ＜0.01). There was a higher level for IL-1β in infiltrated group[(111.31 ±57.35) pg/ml] than in the other group [(79.68±43.42) pg/ml], and there was a significant difference. Conclusion The IL-1β may play an important role in leukostasis and tissue infiltration by leukemic cells in AML.