Stem Cells and Survival in Sepsis
Author Information
Author(s): Tsaganos Thomas, Giamarellos-Bourboulis Evangelos J, Kollias Spyridon, Zervakis Dimitrios, Karagianni Vassiliki, Pelekanou Aimilia, Tampaki Ekaterini-Christina, Kontogiorgi Marina, Koroneos Apostolos, Drakoulis Nikolaos, Armaganidis Apostolos, Roussos Charis, Giamarellou Helen
Primary Institution: University of Athens, Medical School, Greece
Hypothesis
The kinetics of progenitor hemopoetic stem cells in sepsis correlates with patient survival.
Conclusion
Patients with lower counts of CD34/CD45 stem cells on day 1 of sepsis have increased survival compared to those with higher counts.
Supporting Evidence
- Stem cell counts were significantly higher in septic patients compared to healthy controls.
- Patients with CD34/CD45 counts less than 310/μl on day 1 had prolonged survival.
- A hazard ratio of 5.47 indicated increased risk of death for patients with higher stem cell counts.
Takeaway
This study found that patients with fewer stem cells in their blood when they first got sick with sepsis tended to live longer than those with more stem cells.
Methodology
Blood samples were taken from 44 patients with sepsis on days 1, 3, 5, and 7, and analyzed for stem cell counts and cytokine levels.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to exclusion criteria and the homogeneity of the study population.
Limitations
The study only included patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 59.56 years, with 32 males and 12 females.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.022
Confidence Interval
95%CI: 1.21–24.65
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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