Time course of immunological markers in patients with the systemic inflammatory response syndrome: evaluation of sCD14, sVCAM‐1, sELAM‐1, MIP‐1α and TGF‐β2

Background The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is viewed as a system-wide inflammatory response. Up until now, no parameter has been available for predicting the development of septic shock. In the present study, we evaluated the usefulness of serum levels of CD14, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) 1α and transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) as early markers of outcome in patients with SIRS. Methods A group of 28 SIRS patients (13 survivors/15 non-survivors) was compared with a healthy control group and with patients with local inflammation. Blood samples were analysed on days 0, 4 and 7. Proinflammatory parameters such as sCD14, sVCAM-1, sELAM-1, MIP-1α and anti-inflammatory parameters such as TGF-β2 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results At the beginning, all evaluated proinflammatory immunological parameters with the exception of sVCAM-1 were significantly increased in patients with SIRS compared with the healthy control group. However, no significant difference could be observed for all immunological parameters comparing survivors and non-survivors, with the exception of interleukin (IL) 6 at day 7. Conclusion All evaluated proinflammatory parameters were increased in patients with SIRS during the course of the disease. However, the parameters have no correlation with outcome and prognosis of SIRS patients.