Soluble IL-33 receptor predicts survival in acute kidney injury

INTRODUCTION: The prediction of acute kidney injury (AKI)-related outcomes remains challenging. Herein we prospectively quantified soluble ST2 (sST2), the circulating isoform of the IL-33 receptor, in hospitalized patients with AKI. METHODS: In-hospital subjects with AKI of various etiology were identified through the in-hospital AKI alert system of the Brandenburg University hospital. sST2 was measured within a maximum of 48 hours from the time of diagnosis of AKI. The following endpoints were defined: in-hospital death, dialysis, recovery of kidney function until demission. RESULTS: In total, 151 individuals were included in the study. The in-hospital mortality was 16.6%, dialysis therapy became mandatory in 39.7%, no recovery of kidney function occurred in 27.8%. sST2 was significantly higher in nonsurvivors (p = 0.024) but did not differ in the two other endpoints. The level of sST2 increased significantly with the severity of AKI. Further differences were detected in subjects with heart insufficiency (lower sST2), and in patients that required ICU treatment, or ventilatory therapy, or vasopressors (all higher). CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests sST2 as biomarker of “acute distress”: it predicts post-AKI survival and substantially increases in subjects with a higher degree of cumulative morbidity under acute circumstances (e.g., ICU therapy, vasopressor administration).