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Circulating miR-147b as a diagnostic marker for patients with bacterial sepsis and septic shock
Ngo Tat Trung1,2,3, Tran Thi Lien2, Vu Viet Sang2,4
1Centre for Genetics Consultation and Cancer Screening, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Background:
Early diagnosis, precise antimicrobial treatment and subsequent patient stratification can improve sepsis outcomes. Circulating biomarkers such as plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) have proven to be surrogates for diagnosis, severity and case management of infections. The expression of four selected miRNAs (miR-146-3p, miR-147b, miR-155 and miR-223) was validated for their prognostic and diagnostic potential in a clinically defined cohort of patients with sepsis and septic shock.
Methods:
The expression of plasma miRNAs was quantified by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in patients with bacterial sepsis (n = 78), in patients with septic shock (n = 52) and in patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF; n = 69) and in healthy controls (n = 82).
Results:
The expression of studied miRNA was significantly increased in patients with bacterial sepsis and septic shock. The plasma miR-147b was able to differentiate bacterial sepsis from non-sepsis and septic shock (AUC = 0.77 and 0.8, respectively, p≤ 0.05), while the combination of plasma miR-147b and procalcitonin (PCT) predicted septic shock (AUC = 0.86, p≤ 0.05).
Conclusions:
The plasma miR-147b may be an useful biomarker independently or in combination with PCT to support clinical diagnosis of sepsis and equally prognosis of patients with septic shock.
Insights
Plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) show promise for diagnosing sepsis. miR-147b, alone or with procalcitonin (PCT), can help identify bacterial sepsis and predict septic shock, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biomarker discovery
- Molecular diagnostics
- Infectious disease research
Background:
- Early sepsis diagnosis and treatment are crucial for patient outcomes.
- Plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging biomarkers for infection diagnosis and management.
- This study investigates the diagnostic and prognostic potential of specific miRNAs in sepsis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the expression of four selected miRNAs (miR-146-3p, miR-147b, miR-155, miR-223) in sepsis patients.
- To assess the diagnostic accuracy of plasma miRNAs for differentiating bacterial sepsis and septic shock.
- To evaluate the combined diagnostic potential of miRNAs and procalcitonin (PCT) in sepsis.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to measure plasma miRNA expression.
- The study included patients with bacterial sepsis (n=78), septic shock (n=52), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF; n=69), and healthy controls (n=82).
Main Results:
- Expression of studied miRNAs was significantly elevated in bacterial sepsis and septic shock patients.
- Plasma miR-147b differentiated bacterial sepsis from non-sepsis (AUC=0.77) and septic shock (AUC=0.8).
- The combination of plasma miR-147b and PCT predicted septic shock with high accuracy (AUC=0.86).
Conclusions:
- Plasma miR-147b shows potential as an independent biomarker for sepsis diagnosis.
- Combining miR-147b with PCT can aid in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis and septic shock.
- These findings support the use of miRNAs in sepsis patient stratification and management.

