How well do serum sTREM-1 measurements prognosticate in septic shock?

• Published in: Anaesthesia and intensive care 2008-09, Vol.36 (5), p.654-658
• Main Authors: PHUA, J, KOAY, E. S. C, ZHANG, D, LEE, K. H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Calcitonin - blood; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Cell receptors; Chemical properties; Cytokines - blood; Diagnosis; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Immunoblotting - statistics & numerical data; Interleukins - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Glycoproteins - blood; Middle Aged; Patient outcomes; Physiological aspects; Prognosis; Protein Precursors - blood; Receptors, Immunologic - blood; Sepsis; Shock, Septic - blood; Shock, Septic - diagnosis; Shock, Septic - mortality; Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood
• ISSN: 0310-057X; 1448-0271
• DOI: 10.1177/0310057X0803600504

The soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM)-1 has emerged as a potentially useful biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of serum sTREM-1 in septic shock, in comparison with that of procalcitonin measurements. Thirty-one consecutive patients in a tertiary medical intensive care unit with septic shock were studied. sTREM-1 levels in blood were measured using a modified immunoblot array technique on days one to three of intensive care unit admission. Serum procalcitonin and interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-IO and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels were also measured. No significant difference was observed in the sTREM-1 levels on the first three days between survivors and nonsurvivors. sTREM-1 levels moderately correlated with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores on day three, but did not correlate with vasopressor requirements, cytokine levels and the presence of bacteraemia. In contrast, procalcitonin levels were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors on days two and three. A significant relationship also existed between procalcitonin levels and the other variables. In conclusion, this study found that the prognostic utility of serum sTREM-1 in septic shock is poor and that procalcitonin measurements perform better in this regard.