title: Four serum microRNAs identified as diagnostic biomarkers of sepsis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as biomarkers for many kinds of diseases, and some are even better than current indicators. The aim of this study was to investigate a diagnostic role for serum miRNAs in sepsis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 166 patients with sepsis and 24 normal controls. Blood samples for these patients were obtained upon their admission in intensive care units of the Chinese PLA General Hospital. The expression levels of miR-223, miR-15b, miR-483-5p, miR-499-5p, miR-122, and miR-193b* were determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression levels of miR-223 were significantly higher in patients with mild sepsis (p < 0.001) and patients with severe sepsis and septic shock (p < 0.001) than in normal controls, and levels of miR-499-5p, miR-122, and miR-193b* were significantly lower than in normal controls. In addition, only miR-223 (p = 0.035) and miR-499-5p (p < 0.001) were significantly different between patients with mild sepsis and patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. miR-499-5p had the highest area under a receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.686 (95% confidence interval, 0.592-0.779). In addition, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (p < 0.001), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (p < 0.001), and procalcitonin levels (p < 0.001) also could distinguish a mild sepsis group from a severe sepsis and septic shock group. In a binary logistic regression model, only miR-499-5p and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores had good diagnostic values to distinguish between mild sepsis and severe sepsis and septic shock.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four serum miRNAs were identified as novel biomarkers of sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  II, diagnostic study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hainan Branch of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui-juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng-jun
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yan-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Li-xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012313:RNA; C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; C546818:MIRN193 microRNA, human; C525067:MIR223, human; C548683:MIRN499 microRNA, human