Association between ferritin to albumin ratio and 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES: The ratio of ferritin to albumin (FAR) has been proposed as a novel prognostic indicator for COVID-19. However, the role of FAR in predicting the all-cause mortality rate in patients with sepsis has not been evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate the correlation between FAR and the 28-day all-cause mortality rate in patients with sepsis. METHODS: This study used data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database (v2.0) for a retrospective cohort analysis. The study focused on adult patients with sepsis who were admitted to the intensive care unit. The primary objective was to assess the predictive capability of FAR in determining the 28-day all-cause mortality rate among patients with sepsis. RESULTS: The study involved 1553 sepsis patients in total. Based on the survival status of sepsis patients within 28 days, they were divided into two groups: a survival group consisting of 973 patients, and a death group consisting of 580 patients. The results revealed a 28-day mortality rate of 37.35% among sepsis patients. The multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that FAR was an independent predictor of the 28-day all-cause mortality rate in patients with sepsis (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.17–1.19; 95% confidence interval 1.11–1.26; P < 0.001). The FAR demonstrated a higher area under the curve (AUC) of 61.01% (95% confidence interval 58.07–63.96%), compared to serum ferritin (60.48%), serum albumin (55.56%), and SOFA score (56.97%). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis determined the optimal cutoff value for FAR as 364.2215. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed a significant difference in the 28-day all-cause mortality rate between patients with FAR ≥ 364.2215 and those with FAR < 364.2215 (P < 0.001). Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed no significant interaction between FAR and each subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a significant correlation between FAR and the 28-day mortality rate in patients with sepsis. Higher FAR values were strongly associated with increased mortality rates within 28 days.