Association of carbohydrate 125 antigen with sepsis mortality in critical patients.

Introduction: The increased synthesis of CA125 in mesothelial cells is connected with pathophysiological processes, also present in sepsis, that link inflammation with systemic congestion. We propose to evaluate serum levels of this biomarker in patients with sepsis and to study its association with the severity and evolution of the disease.

Methods: Longitudinal retrospective observational study, which included 126 patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit with sepsis criteria. The main variables analyzed were: CA125 values for 7 days, the variation of its levels according to the source of infection (abdominal, pulmonary, nephrourinary and others), sepsis, septic shock, APACHE-II score and mortality.

Results: CA125 levels remained elevated throughout the study period. The abdominal focus presented higher mean levels of CA125 (62±55.5U/mL; P=.001) and were higher in non-survivors (77.2U/mL; interquartile range 35.9-118.5; P=.0273). CA125 levels>35U/mL throughout the weal had an independently effect on the evolution (relative risk [RR] 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6-6.2; P=.001) and the elevated mean value of CA125 was also associated with mortality (RR 1.004; 95% CI 1.001-1.005; P=.0001).

Conclusions: Septic patients presented high levels of CA125 on the study days, being higher in abdominal infections. In our study, serial determination of CA125 is a prognostic marker of mortality independent of age, origin of infection or severity.