RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Early natural killer cell counts in blood predict mortality in severe sepsis A1 Andaluz Ojeda, David A1 Iglesias, Verónica A1 Bobillo, Felipe A1 Almansa Mora, Raquel A1 Rico, Lucía A1 Gandía Martínez, Francisco A1 Loma, Ana María A1 Nieto, Concepción A1 Diego, Rosa A1 Ramos, Epifanio A1 Nocito Colón, Mercedes A1 Resino, Salvador A1 Eiros Bouza, José María A1 Tamayo Gómez, Eduardo A1 Ortiz de Lejarazu Leonardo, Raúl A1 Bermejo Martín, Jesús Francisco K1 Septicemia - Mortalidad AB In an attempt to evaluate the quantitative changes in the status of immunocompetence in severe sepsis over time and its potential influence on clinical outcome, we monitored the evolution of immunoglobulins (Igs) (IgG, IgA and IgM), complement factors (C3 and C4) and lymphocyte subsets (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells (CD19+) and natural killer (NK) cells (CD3-CD16+CD56+)) in the blood of 50 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock at day 1, day 3 and day 10 following admission to the ICU.Twenty-one patients died, ten of whom died within the 72 hours following admission to the ICU. The most frequent cause of death (n = 12) was multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. At day 1, survivors showed significantly higher levels of IgG and C4 than those who ultimately died. On the contrary, NK cell levels were significantly higher in the patients who died. Survivors exhibited a progressive increase from day 1 to day 10 on most of the immunological parameters evaluated (IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, CD4+, CD8+ T cells and NK cells). Multivariate Cox regression analysis, including age, sex, APACHE II score, severe sepsis or septic shock status and each one of the immunological parameters showed that NK cell counts at day 1 were independently associated with increased risk of death at 28 days (hazard ratio = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.29 to 8.64; P = 0.013). Analysis of survival curves provided evidence that levels of NK cells at day 1 (> 83 cells/mm3) were associated with early mortality.Our results demonstrate the prognostic role of NK cells in severe sepsis and provide evidence for a direct association of early counts of these cells in blood with mortality. PB BioMed Central SN 1364-8535 YR 2011 FD 2011 LK http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/13823 UL http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/13823 LA eng NO Critical Care, 2011, 15(5):R243 NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 12-jul-2024