Hospital mortality prognostication in sepsis using the new biomarkers suPAR and proADM in a single determination on ICU admission

Abstract

The soluble form of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and proadrenomedullin (proADM) are two new and promising sepsis biomarkers. We assessed the prognostic value of a single determination of proADM and suPAR, comparing them with C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), and evaluating whether their addition to severity scores (APACHE II and SOFA) could improve their prognostic accuracy. A single-centre prospective observational study conducted in an adult intensive care department at Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital in Spain. APACHE II and SOFA scores, CRP, PCT, suPAR and proADM levels on the day of ICU admission were collected. A total of 137 consecutive septic patients were studied. The best area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction of in-hospital mortality was for APACHE II (0.82) and SOFA (0.75) scores. The ROC curve for suPAR yielded an AUC of 0.67, higher than proADM (0.62), CRP (0.50) and PCT (0.44). Significant dose-response trends were found between hospital mortality and suPAR (OR Q4 = 4.83, 95% CI 1.60-14.62) and pro-ADM (OR Q4 = 3.00, 95% CI 1.06-8.46) quartiles. Non-significant associations were found for PCT and CRP. The combination of severity scores and each biomarker did not provide superior AUCs. SuPAR and, to a lesser extent, proADM levels on ICU admission were better tools in prognosticating in-hospital mortality than CRP or PCT. However, neither of the two new biomarkers has been demonstrated to be excessively useful in the current setting. The prognostic accuracy was better for severity scores than for any of the biomarkers.