Serum miR-181a-5p Serves as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Sepsis and Predicts Clinical Outcomes

Abstract

MicroRNA (miRNA) shows promise as a biomarker for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis. In the present investigation, we examined the potential of miR-181a-5p as a clinical diagnostic and prognostic indicator for sepsis. This study enrolled 119 sepsis patients and 125 controls. Serum miR-181a-5p levels were assessed via RT-qPCR, revealing a significant upregulation in sepsis patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated miR-181a-5p could distinguish sepsis patients with 73.11% sensitivity and 89.60% specificity (AUC = 0.879). Pearson's analysis showed serum miR-181a-5p positively correlated with disease severity scores (APACHE II and SOFA), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), and negative with glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that elevated serum miR-181a-5p levels were associated with a worse 28-day prognosis in sepsis patients (log-rank p = 0.022). In summary, this study identifies serum miR-181a-5p as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for sepsis, significantly linked to disease severity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, providing new avenues for sepsis management.