Erythropoietin and renin as biological markers in critically ill patients.
BACKGROUND
During sepsis the endocrine, immune and nervous systems elaborate a multitude of biological responses. Little is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the final circulating erythropoietin (EPO) and renin levels in septic shock. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of EPO and renin as biological markers in patients with septic shock.


METHODS
A total of 44 critically ill patients with septic shock were evaluated.


RESULTS
Nonsurvivors had significantly higher serum EPO levels than did survivors on admission (median [minimum-maximum]; 61 [10-602] versus 20 [5-369]). A negative relationship between serum EPO and blood haemoglobin concentrations was observed in the survivor group (r = -0.61; P < 0.001). In contrast, in the nonsurvivors the serum EPO concentration was independent of the blood haemoglobin concentration. Furthermore, we observed significant relationships between EPO concentration and lactate (r = 0.5; P < 0.001), arterial oxygen tension/fractional inspired oxygen ratio (r = -0.41; P < 0.005), arterial pH (r = -0.58; P < 0.001) and renin concentration (r = 0.42; P < 0.005). With regard to renin concentration, significant correlations with lactate (r = 0.52; P < 0.001) and arterial pH (r = -0.33; P < 0.05) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings show that EPO and renin concentrations increased in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with septic shock. Renin may be a significant mediator of EPO upregulation in patients with septic shock. Further studies regarding the regulation of EPO expression are clearly warranted.
Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France. fabienne.tamion@chu-rouen.fr
Fabienne
F
Tamion
Véronique
V
Le Cam-Duchez
Jean-François
JF
Menard
Christophe
C
Girault
Antoine
A
Coquerel
Guy
G
Bonmarchand
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016638:Critical Illness; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology*; D017741:Survivors
D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D004921:Erythropoietin; D019344:Lactic Acid; D012083:Renin