Methods:

• The study enrolled 239 CAP patients.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect serum IL-17.
• CURB-65, CRB-65, PSI, SMART-COP, CURXO and APACHE II scoring systems were used to assess CAP severity.

Results:

• Serum IL-17 increased with the severity of CAP. Serum IL-17 was found to be directly proportional to CAP severity scores.
• A link between serum IL-17 and clinical physiologic indicators among CAP patients was found.
• On admission, elevated IL-17 levels were noted in CAP patients in ICU; under mechanical ventilation; on vasoactive agents; and were also associated with longer hospital stay and death.
• Higher serum IL-17 on admission increased the odds of vasoactive agent usage and caused longer hospital stays in CAP patients.
• The cut-off concentrations of serum IL-17 were found to be 86.80 ng/mL for death, 84.92 ng/mL for ICU admission and for mechanical ventilation and 60.29 ng/mL for ≥ 14 days hospital stay.

Conclusions:

Serum IL-17 on admission is directly proportional to the severity and poor prognosis among CAP patients, indicating the involvement of IL-17 in the pathological process of CAP. Thus, serum IL-17 can be employed in CAP patients as a potential biomarker for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes.

Source- Feng CM, Wang XM, Li MD, et al. Serum interleukin-17 predicts severity and prognosis in patients with community acquired pneumonia: a prospective cohort study. BMC Pulm Med. 2021 Dec 2;21(1):393.

(94 cases till Dec 8; article published on Dec 2)