# sTREM-1 as a biomarker for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis following abdominal surgery

## TL;DR

The study shows that sTREM-1 levels are higher in patients with sepsis and septic shock, suggesting it could help diagnose and predict outcomes in abdominal surgery patients.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating sTREM-1 as a potential biomarker for sepsis severity and prognosis in post-abdominal surgery patients.

## Key findings

- sTREM-1 levels were significantly higher in sepsis and septic shock patients compared to noninfected individuals.
- sTREM-1 showed a moderate predictive ability for septic shock with an area under the curve of 0.722.

## Abstract

Sepsis represents a critical response to infection; it is characterized by systemic inflammation, shock, and potential organ failure. Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) has been identified as a crucial marker in sepsis, connecting the activation of innate immunity to systemic inflammation.

This prospective nested case control study was carried out in the intensive care unit and surgery department from March 2018 to June 2019. Adults undergoing abdominal surgery, with and without sepsis, were included in the study, and sTREM-1 and cytokine levels were measured.

A total of 120 patients were included in the study, comprising 31 noninfected individuals, 37 with sepsis, and 52 with septic shock. sTREM-1 levels were statistically significantly elevated in patients with sepsis and septic shock compared with noninfected individuals (P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.722 for sTREM-1 in the prediction of septic shock.

Elevated sTREM-1 levels are associated with the severity of sepsis and may function as a prognostic biomarker. Additional research is required to confirm these findings and investigate therapeutic interventions aimed at the sTREM-1 pathway.