Decrease in circulating dendritic cells predicts fatal outcome in septic shock.
OBJECTIVE
Biomarkers allowing accurate early staging of septic shock patients are lacking despite their obvious interest for patient management. Experimental models of septic shock in mouse previously noted a decrease in dendritic cell numbers. The aim of the study was to find a rapid reproducible biological test for an assessment of disease severity.


METHODS
Evaluation of peripheral blood dendritic cell counts by flow cytometry using three commercially available kits.


METHODS
Forty-two consecutive septic shock patients were studied prospectively.


RESULTS
Early low dendritic cell counts were correlated to disease severity as assessed by Simplified Acute Physiology Score or Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and predicted fatal outcome. The correlation was still present when the results were adjusted for age.


CONCLUSIONS
The monitoring of blood dendritic cell count may provide an early and valuable assessment of the severity of the host response against infection and may influence the therapeutic management of septic shock patients.
Guisset
Olivier
O
Département de Réanimation Médicale et Urgences, Hôpital St André, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Dilhuydy
Marie-Sarah
MS
Thiébaut
Rodolphe
R
Lefèvre
Jérôme
J
Camou
Fabrice
F
Sarrat
Anne
A
Gabinski
Claude
C
Moreau
Jean-François
JF
Blanco
Patrick
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003713:Dendritic Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*