Sepsis biomarkers reprofiling to predict stroke-associated infections

- Sepsis biomarkers could be useful in the management of stroke-associated infections.
- We screened 4 sepsis biomarkers at three different time-points in stroke patients.
- MR-proADM and sUPAR were independently associated with post-stroke infections.
- MR-proADM is an early surrogate marker of stroke-associated infections.

We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of sepsis biomarkers to predict stroke-associated infections. Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), presepsin (sCD14), and soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), were explored in 125 blood samples collected at different time-points. At baseline, MR-proADM was an independent predictor of infection [> 0.94 pg/mL, OR = 3.63 (1.16-11.33), p = 0.026], as well as suPAR at 24 h [> 2185.8 pg/mL, OR = 5.81 (1.05-32.26), p = 0.044]. Both MR-proADM and suPAR were raised in patients with infections throughout the first week after stroke. These results are especially relevant for MR-proADM given its early elevation, which would allow early preventive interventions.

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