Serum IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) as a biomarker for severity of acute respiratory infection in healthy adults.
The inflammatory chemokine, interferon-gamma inducible protein of 10kDa (IP-10), is a biomarker associated with several conditions.



This study investigated serum concentrations of IP-10 in healthy individuals who developed acute respiratory infection (ARI). The hypothesis is that serum IP-10 concentrations correlate with ARI severity and detection of viral pathogens.



Data come from a randomized controlled trial measuring the effects of mindfulness meditation or exercise on ARI (Clinical Trials ID: NCT01654289). Healthy adults ages 30-69 were followed for a single season for ARI incidence and severity. This trial is ongoing, and the investigators are still blinded. When a participant reported ARI symptoms, nasal swab and lavage for PCR-based viral identification and blood samples were collected within the first 72h of ARI symptoms. Serum IP-10 concentrations were measured by ELISA (R&D Systems, Inc., Quantikine ELISA, Minneapolis, MN). ARI severity was measured using the validated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-24) until the ARI episode resolved.



Serum IP-10 concentrations from 225 ARI episodes correlated with ARI global severity (rho 0.28 [95% CI: 0.15-0.39]; p<0.001). IP-10 concentrations were higher with an ARI in which a viral pathogen was detected compared to no viral pathogen detected (median 366pg/ml [IQR: 227-486] vs 163pg/ml [IQR: 127-295], p<0.0001). Influenza infections had higher IP-10 concentrations than coronavirus, enterovirus or rhinovirus, and paramyxovirus.



Serum IP-10 concentration correlates with ARI global severity. Also, IP-10 concentration measured early in the course of the ARI correlates with the daily severity, duration, and illness symptoms.
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States. Electronic address: mary.hayney@wisc.edu.
Mary S
MS
Hayney
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Kelsey M
KM
Henriquez
Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Jodi H
JH
Barnet
Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Tola
T
Ewers
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Heather M
HM
Champion
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Sean
S
Flannery
Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States.
Bruce
B
Barrett
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10
Acute respiratory infection; Biomarker; Healthy adults; IP-10; Viral pathogens