Angiotensin II plasma levels are linked to disease severity and predict fatal outcomes in H7N9-infected patients.

Huang F1, Guo J2, Zou Z1, Liu J3, Cao B4, Zhang S5, Li H6, Wang W7, Sheng M7, Liu S7, Pan J8, Bao C9, Zeng M10, Xiao H11, Qian G12, Hu X12, Chen Y12, Chen Y12, Zhao Y7, Liu Q7, Zhou H7, Zhu J7, Gao H12, Yang S12, Liu X12, Zheng S12, Yang J12, Diao H12, Cao H12, Wu Y13, Zhao M13, Tan S13, Guo D14, Zhao X15, Ye Y15, Wu W15, Xu Y14, Penninger JM16, Li D17, Gao GF18, Jiang C19, Li L12.

Nat Commun. 2014 May 6;5:3595. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4595
PMID: 24800963

Abstract

A novel influenza A (H7N9) virus of avian origin emerged in eastern China in the spring of 2013. This virus causes severe disease in humans, including acute and often lethal respiratory failure. As of January 2014, 275 cases of H7N9-infected patients had been reported, highlighting the urgency of identifying biomarkers for predicting disease severity and fatal outcomes. Here, we show that plasma levels of angiotensin II, a major regulatory peptide of the renin-angiotensin system, are markedly elevated in H7N9 patients and are associated with disease progression. Moreover, the sustained high levels of angiotensin II in these patients are strongly correlated with mortality. The predictive value of angiotensin II is higher than that of C-reactive protein and some clinical parameters such as the PaO2/FiO2 ratio (partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen). Our findings indicate that angiotensin II is a biomarker for lethality in flu infections.

我所蒋澄宇课题组联合李兰娟、高福课题组等国内外相关人员合作研究论文“Angiotensin II plasma levels are linked to disease severity and predict fatal outcomes in H7N9-infected patients”于2014年5月7日发表在Nature Communications（Nat Commun. 2014 May 6;5:3595.），该研究发现血浆血管紧张素II在确诊的H7N9患者血浆中的水平普遍高于健康人或感染H1N1猪流感的患者。血浆血管紧张素II水平与H7N9患者体内H7N9病毒载量、疾病的严重程度及病死率高度相关。血浆中血管紧张素II水平可以相对独立的预测感染H7N9禽流感病毒患者的转归情况，并且有较好的敏感性和特异性。本文提示血管紧张素II水平可作为禽流感导致重症肺炎的生物标志物。