Value of IL-1β and IL-23 in Predicting 28-Day Mortality Due to Sepsis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND This research aimed to explore the utility of Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-23 as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included 74 adult individuals with sepsis, 45 ICU controls, and 50 healthy individuals attending routine physical examinations. IL-1ß and IL-23 levels were assessed and analyzed on the admission day. Univariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to explore the association of IL-1ß and IL-23 with sepsis survival. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to evaluate the value of IL-1ß and IL-23 to predict 28-day mortality due to sepsis. RESULTS Serum concentrations of IL-1ß and IL-23 were significantly higher in septic patients relative to healthy and ICU controls (P<0.001). IL-1ß and IL-23 levels in non-survivors were significantly higher than in survivors (P<0.001). IL-1ß (hazard ratio; HR=1.06, P<0.001) and IL-23 (HR=1.02, P=0.031) were independent risk variables for 28-day mortality in sepsis patients, which were strongly associated with the severity of sepsis. The area under the ROC curve for predicting 28-day fatality in sepsis was 0.66 for IL-1ß (P=0.024, 95% confidence interval; CI: 0.54-0.76) and 0.77 for IL-23 (P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.65-0.86). Furthermore, compared with low serum IL-1ß (<9.41 pg/mL) and IL-23 (<6.77 pg/mL) levels, septic patients with high serum IL-1ß (≥9.41 pg/mL) and IL-23 (≥6.77 pg/mL) levels had poorer survival. CONCLUSIONS Serum IL-1ß and IL-23 values were higher in patients with sepsis and are potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for sepsis, but this needs to be confirmed by prospective studies.