The soluble interleukin-2 receptor predicts mortality in older hospitalized men

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Biomarkers
• Mortality Prediction

Background:

• An inverse relationship exists between soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and nutritional markers like albumin and hemoglobin.
• Low levels of albumin and cholesterol are linked to increased mortality.
• This suggests elevated sIL-2R may predict mortality in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if elevated sIL-2R predicts mortality in patients on a geriatric rehabilitation unit.
• To identify key predictors of mortality in a geriatric rehabilitation setting.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study at a university-affiliated VA medical center.
• Included 72 male patients over 60 years old admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit.
• Measured sIL-2R, albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, transferrin, hemoglobin, BMI, and CRP upon admission; followed subjects for 1 year.

Main Results:

• Univariate analysis showed low albumin, prealbumin, hemoglobin, and high sIL-2R and CRP predicted 1-year mortality.
• In Cox regression, only elevated sIL-2R remained a significant independent predictor of mortality (P = .043).
• Multiple linear regression confirmed sIL-2R as the sole predictor of time to death (P = .003).

Conclusions:

• High sIL-2R, high CRP, and low albumin, prealbumin, and hemoglobin predicted mortality via univariate analysis.
• Multivariate analysis identified sIL-2R as the only independent predictor of mortality in this cohort.
• sIL-2R is a significant prognostic biomarker for mortality in older adults on geriatric rehabilitation units.