Serum HMGB1 and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor levels aid diagnosis and prognosis prediction of sepsis with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

To study the clinical application of serum HMGB1 and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) expression in sepsis with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Clinical data of 303 septic patients with/without ARDS were documented. Levels of serum inflammatory markers and HMGB1/suPAR were measured. ARDS patients were subdivided into high and low HMGB1/suPAR expression groups and followed up. Serum HMGB1 and suPAR were upregulated in ARDS patients and positively correlated with inflammatory markers. The combination of HMGB1 with suPAR surpassed HMGB1 or suPAR alone in aiding diagnosis of sepsis with ARDS. CRP, PCT, IL-6, HMGB1 and suPAR were independent risk factors for ARDS. High HMGB1/suPAR expression might be linked to poor prognosis. Serum HMGB1/suPAR levels might aid diagnosis and predict poor prognosis of septic patients with ARDS.