title: The soluble interleukin-2 receptor predicts mortality in older hospitalized men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an inverse relationship between the soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and serum albumin, cholesterol, transferrin, prealbumin, and hemoglobin. Inasmuch as low serum albumin and cholesterol have been associated with excess mortality, we hypothesized that elevated sIL-2R would predict mortality in older adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if elevated sIL-2R predicts mortality in patients on a geriatric rehabilitation unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated VA medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two male patients aged greater than 60 years admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit. Patients with severe hepatic or renal disease were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured serum albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, transferrin, hemoglobin, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), and sIL-2R upon admission. Subjects were followed for 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low serum albumin, prealbumin, and hemoglobin and high sIL-2R and CRP predicted 1-year mortality on univariate analysis. When these predictors were included as covariates in a Cox regression model, only sIL-2R was a significant independent predictor of mortality (P = .043). Multiple linear regression with the above covariates revealed that only sIL-2R predicted time to death at (P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High sIL-2R and CRP and low albumin, prealbumin, and hemoglobin predicted mortality using univariate analysis on a rehabilitation unit. However, with multivariate analysis, sIL-2R was the sole predictor of mortality.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, McGuire VA Medical Center (181), Richmond, VA 23249, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: McMurtry
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D014768:Virginia
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011228:Prealbumin; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D002784:Cholesterol