Development of an Algorithm to Predict Mortality in Patients With Sepsis and Coagulopathy

Sepsis is a systemic response to infection with a high rate of mortality and complex pathophysiology involving inflammation, infection response, hemostasis, endothelium, and platelets. The purpose of this study was to develop an equation incorporating biomarker levels at intensive care unit (ICU) admission to predict mortality in patients with sepsis, based on the hypothesis that a combination of biomarkers representative of multiple physiological systems would provide improved predictive value. Plasma samples and clinical data were collected from 103 adult patients with sepsis at the time of ICU admission. Biomarker levels were measured using commercially available methods. A 28-day mortality was used as the primary end point. Stepwise linear regression modeling was performed to generate a predictive equation for mortality. Differences in biomarker levels between survivors were quantified using the Mann-Whitney test and the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was used to describe predictive ability. Significant differences (P < .05) were observed between survivors and nonsurvivors for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (AUC = 0.70), procalcitonin (AUC = 0.77), high mobility group box 1 (AUC = 0.67), interleukin (IL) 6 (AUC = 0.70), IL-8 (AUC = 0.70), protein C (AUC = 0.71), angiopoietin-2 (AUC = 0.76), endocan (AUC = 0.58), and platelet factor 4 (AUC = 0.70). A predictive equation for mortality was generated using stepwise linear regression modeling, which incorporated procalcitonin, vascular endothelial growth factor, the IL-6:IL-10 ratio, endocan, and platelet factor 4, and demonstrated a better predictive value for patient outcome than any individual biomarker (AUC = 0.87). The use of mathematical modeling resulted in the development of a predictive equation for sepsis-associated mortality with performance than any individual biomarker or clinical scoring system which incorporated biomarkers representative of multiple systems.