Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are significant concerns in intensive care units and contribute significantly to patient mortality. Traditional diagnostic markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) often lack the sensitivity and specificity needed for early diagnosis and prognosis. Consequently, more reliable biomarkers are needed. This study aimed to evaluate interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) as potential biomarkers to improve diagnostic and prognostic capabilities in sepsis and SIRS. METHODS: The study comprised 64 patients diagnosed with sepsis and SIRS, admitted to the Critical Care Department of the First University Clinic (Tbilisi, Georgia). Changes in the levels of CRP, PCT, IL-6, sTREM-1, and lactate were monitored over a five-day observation period, with measurements taken on days 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5. RESULTS: We found a significant logarithmic relationship between sTREM-1 levels and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores (r = 0.922, p < 0.001), suggesting that sTREM-1 could serve as a valuable biomarker for early risk stratification in sepsis. Furthermore, sTREM-1 exhibited strong correlations with IL-6 and lactate levels, underscoring its potential as a predictor of disease severity. While CRP and PCT were more useful in tracking disease progression over time, their baseline levels were less predictive of early outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potential of sTREM-1, IL-6, and lactate as early diagnostic and prognostic markers in sepsis, where sTREM-1 is a critical biomarker for identifying high-risk patients. Further studies with larger cohorts are required to validate these results and explore the sTREM-1 clinical utility in guiding therapeutic interventions in sepsis management.