Value of IL-1β and IL-23 in Predicting 28-Day Mortality Due to Sepsis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: This research aimed to explore the utility of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-23 as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis. MATERIAL/METHODS: This study included 74 adult individuals with sepsis, 45 ICU controls, and 50 healthy individuals attending routine physical examinations. IL-1β and IL-23 levels were assessed and analyzed on the admission day. Univariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to explore the association of IL-1β and IL-23 with sepsis survival. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to evaluate the value of IL-1β and IL-23 to predict 28-day mortality due to sepsis. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of IL-1β and IL-23 were significantly higher in septic patients relative to healthy and ICU controls (P<0.001). IL-1β and IL-23 levels in non-survivors were significantly higher than in survivors (P<0.001). IL-1β (hazard ratio; HR=1.06, P<0.001) and IL-23 (HR=1.02, P=0.031) were independent risk variables for 28-day mortality in sepsis patients, which were strongly associated with the severity of sepsis. The area under the ROC curve for predicting 28-day fatality in sepsis was 0.66 for IL-1β (P=0.024, 95% confidence interval; CI: 0.54–0.76) and 0.77 for IL-23 (P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.65–0.86). Furthermore, compared with low serum IL-1β (<9.41 pg/mL) and IL-23 (<6.77 pg/mL) levels, septic patients with high serum IL-1β (≥9.41 pg/mL) and IL-23 (≥6.77 pg/mL) levels had poorer survival. CONCLUSIONS: Serum IL-1β and IL-23 values were higher in patients with sepsis and are potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for sepsis, but this needs to be confirmed by prospective studies.