Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Plasma Concentration in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Prospective Observational Study

Bleilevens, Christian; Soppert, Josefin; Hoffmann, Adrian; Breuer, Thomas; Bernhagen, Jürgen; Martin, Lukas; Stiehler, Lara; Marx, Gernot; Dreher, Michael; Stoppe, Christian and Simon, Tim-Philipp (2021): Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Plasma Concentration in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Prospective Observational Study. In: Diagnostics, Vol. 11, No. 2, 332

Abstract

Mortality in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is high and pharmacological treatment strategies remain limited. Early-stage predictive biomarkers are needed to identify patients with a high risk of severe clinical courses and to stratify treatment strategies. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was previously described as a potential predictor for the outcome of critically ill patients and for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a hallmark of severe COVID-19 disease. This prospective observational study evaluates the predictive potential of MIF for the clinical outcome after severe COVID-19 infection. Plasma MIF concentrations were measured in 36 mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients over three days after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Increased compared to decreased MIF was significantly associated with aggravated organ function and a significantly lower 28-day survival (sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score;8.2 +/- 4.5 to 14.3 +/- 3, p = 0.009 vs. 8.9 +/- 1.9 to 12 +/- 2, p = 0.296;survival: 56% vs. 93%;p = 0.003). Arterial hypertension was the predominant comorbidity in 85% of patients with increasing MIF concentrations (vs. decreasing MIF: 39%;p = 0.015). Without reaching significance, more patients with decreasing MIF were able to improve their ARDS status (p = 0.142). The identified association between an early MIF response, aggravation of organ function and 28-day survival may open future perspectives for biomarker-based diagnostic approaches for ICU management of COVID-19 patients.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine; Medicine > Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy)
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• Language: English
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 390857198