Serum miR-181a-5p Serves as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Sepsis and Predicts Clinical Outcomes

Huibo Li1, Geng Yuan2, Gang Luo1

  • 1Emergency Department, Gulou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Beijing, Beijing, China.

Insights

Serum miR-181a-5p shows potential as a biomarker for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis. Elevated levels indicate worse outcomes and correlate with disease severity and inflammation markers.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in various biological processes.
  • miRNAs show promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for infectious diseases, including sepsis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum miR-181a-5p in sepsis patients.
  • To explore the correlation of miR-181a-5p with clinical severity and inflammatory markers in sepsis.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples were collected from 119 sepsis patients and 125 controls.
  • Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure miR-181a-5p levels.
  • Statistical analyses included ROC curve, Pearson's correlation, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

Main Results:

  • Serum miR-181a-5p was significantly upregulated in sepsis patients compared to controls.
  • ROC analysis demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.879) with 73.11% sensitivity and 89.60% specificity.
  • miR-181a-5p levels positively correlated with sepsis severity scores (APACHE II, SOFA), PCT, CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA, and negatively with GSH-Px.
  • Elevated miR-181a-5p was associated with poorer 28-day survival in sepsis patients (log-rank p=0.022).

Conclusions:

  • Serum miR-181a-5p serves as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for sepsis.
  • miR-181a-5p is a potential prognostic indicator, reflecting disease severity, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
  • These findings suggest miR-181a-5p could aid in sepsis management and therapeutic strategies.