The role of neutrophil chemotaxis activity as an immunologic biomarker to predict mortality in critically-ill patients with severe sepsis

J Crit Care. 2020 Apr:56:215-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.01.020. Epub 2020 Jan 17.

Abstract

Background: Innate immunity is an important host response to infection. However, the role of innate immunity as a prognostic biomarker in severe sepsis is still unknown. This study is to evaluate the discriminatory characteristics of these biomarkers on clinical outcome.

Materials and methods: Retrospective study was conducted in critically ill patients with severe sepsis. Neutrophil function was assessed by neutrophil chemotaxis activity and CD-11b expression. Monocyte function was assessed by measurement of mHLA-DR expression and presepsin level. The primary end point was 28 day-mortality.

Results: A total of 136 participants were enrolled. Patients were classified into 2 groups as survivors (n = 63, 46.3%) and non-survivors (n = 73, 53.7%). Neutrophil chemotaxis activity was significantly higher in survivors (46.7% vs. 41.2%, p = .023). There was no difference in the remaining biomarker levels between survivors and non-survivors. Only decreased neutrophil chemotaxis activity was associated with 28-day mortality. Combining neutrophil chemotaxis activity with mHLA-DR, CD-11b expression, presepsin, and SOFA score provided the highest AUC of 0.90 (0.84-0.96) in predicting 28-day mortality.

Conclusion: Neutrophil chemotaxis activity appears to be a promising novel immunologic biomarker in predicting clinical outcome in patients with severe sepsis.

Keywords: CD-11b; Endotoxin; Neutrophil chemotaxis activity; Presepsin; Prognostic marker; Severe sepsis; mHLA-DR.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Area Under Curve
  • Biomarkers
  • CD11b Antigen / metabolism
  • Chemotaxis*
  • Critical Illness
  • Endotoxins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Neutrophils / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sepsis / immunology
  • Sepsis / mortality*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • CD11b Antigen
  • Endotoxins
  • ITGAM protein, human
  • Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
  • Peptide Fragments
  • presepsin protein, human