Diagnostic role of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-1 in patients with sepsis

Biomarkers may be helpful in risk stratification and prediction of mortality in septic patients. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic role of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-1(sTREM-1), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory markers in patients with sepsis.

A total of 56 patients with systemic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS) who had been admitted to the ICU department of the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University between May 2009 and July 2010 were enrolled. They were divided into a sepsis group (n=32) and a SIRS group (n=24). Twenty-five non-SIRS patients served as controls. The sepsis group was sub-divided into a survival group and a death group according to 28-day prognosis. The values of sTREM-1, PCT, CRP, white blood cell (WBC), and neutrophil count percentage (N) were measured. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score were determined within 24 hours. The correlation between sTREM-1 and APACHE II score was analyzed. Quantitative data were analyzed by the F test or the Kruskal-Wallis test.

The plasma level of sTREM-1 in the sepsis group was significantly higher than that in the SIRS group and control group. The plasma level of sTREM-1 in the non-survival group was significantly higher than that in the survival group. In the sepsis group, the plasma sTREM-1 level was positively correlated with APACHE II score (r=0.426, P= 0.032). The area under the ROC curve of sTREM-1 was 0.935, larger than that of PCT and CRP.

Plasma sTREM-1 is useful in the diagnosis of sepsis at early stage. The increased level of sTREM-1 during the first 24 hours may be correlated with poor outcome of patients with sepsis.