Soluble ST2 has a prognostic role in patients with suspected sepsis

Background: Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) has emerged as a novel biomarker for heart failure, and serum sST2 concentrations could be increased in inflammatory diseases. We explored whether sST2 is related to cardiac dysfunction/failure and has a prognostic role in patients with suspected sepsis. Methods: In a total of 397 patients with suspected sepsis, sST2 concentrations were measured by using the Presage ST2 Assay (Critical Diagnostics, USA). sST2 concentrations were analyzed according to procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations, cardiovascular subscores of the sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and clinical outcomes. Results: sST2 concentrations were increased significantly according to the five groups of PCT concentrations and cardiovascular subscores of the SOFA score ( P <0.000001 and P =0.036, respectively). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher among patients with sST2 concentrations above 35 ng/mL ( P =0.0213) and among patients with increased concentrations of both sST2 and PCT ( P =0.0028). Conclusions: sST2 seems to be related to both cardiac dysfunction/failure and severity in sepsis. Measurement of sST2 and PCT in combination would be useful for risk stratification and prognosis prediction in patients with suspected sepsis.