Plasma MicroRNA-21 Predicts Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Patients Undergoing Pneumoresection

Postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) remains the most common postoperative complication in patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery. We conducted the clinical study to determine the diagnostic role of miRNA-21 in noncardiac thoracic surgery. 368 patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery were recruited. Blood samples were collected before anesthesia and 2 hours after incision during surgery for RT-PCR measurement of miRNA-21. PPC occurrence, extrapulmonary complications, duration of ICU stay, and death within 1 year were evaluated. The overall rate of PPCs following surgery was 10.32%. A high relative miRNA-21 level was an independent risk factor for PPCs within 7 days (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.25–5.66; and P < 0.001). High miRNA-21 was also associated with an increased risk of extrapulmonary complications (OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 2.26–5.81; and P < 0.001), prolonged ICU stay (OR, 6.54; 95% CI, 2.26–18.19; and P < 0.001), increased death within 30 days (OR, 6.17; 95% CI, 2.11–18.08; and P < 0.001), and death within 1 year (OR, 7.30; 95% CI, 2.76–19.28; and P < 0.001). In summary, plasma miRNA-21 may serve as a novel biomarker of PPCs for patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery.