Serum Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) Predicts Multiple Organ Dysfunction in Critically Ill Patients
Berkan Kurt,
Lukas Buendgens,
Theresa H. Wirtz,
Sven H. Loosen,
Maximilian Schulze-Hagen,
Daniel Truhn,
Jonathan F. Brozat,
Samira Abu Jhaisha,
Philipp Hohlstein,
Ger Koek,
Ralf Weiskirchen,
Christian Trautwein,
Frank Tacke,
Karim Hamesch,
Alexander Koch
Affiliations
Berkan Kurt
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Lukas Buendgens
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Theresa H. Wirtz
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Sven H. Loosen
Clinic for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstaße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Maximilian Schulze-Hagen
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Daniel Truhn
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Jonathan F. Brozat
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Samira Abu Jhaisha
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Philipp Hohlstein
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Ger Koek
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
Ralf Weiskirchen
Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Christian Trautwein
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Frank Tacke
Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Karim Hamesch
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Alexander Koch
Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) is a lipid droplet protein with various metabolic functions. However, studies investigating PLIN2 in the context of inflammation, especially in systemic and acute inflammation, are lacking. Hence, we assessed the relevance of serum PLIN2 in critically ill patients. We measured serum PLIN2 serum in 259 critically ill patients (166 with sepsis) upon admission to a medical intensive care unit (ICU) compared to 12 healthy controls. A subset of 36 patients underwent computed tomography to quantify body composition. Compared to controls, serum PLIN2 concentrations were elevated in critically ill patients at ICU admission. Interestingly, PLIN2 independently indicated multiple organ dysfunction (MOD), defined as a SOFA score > 9 points, at ICU admission, and was also able to independently predict MOD after 48 h. Moreover, serum PLIN2 levels were associated with severe respiratory failure potentially reflecting a moribund state. However, PLIN2 was neither a predictor of ICU mortality nor did it reflect metabolic dysregulation. Conclusively, the first study assessing serum PLIN2 in critical illness proved that it may assist in risk stratification because it is capable of independently indicating MOD at admission and predicting MOD 48 h after PLIN2 measurement. Further evaluation regarding the underlying mechanisms is warranted.
