Early Predictor of Severe Respiratory Failure in Patients With COVID-19 Identified
Findings published in Critical Care suggest that high plasma levels of the protein suPAR are associated with worse outcomes
30-Apr-2020 3:15 PM EDT, by Rush University Medical Center Contact Patient Services
Newswise — A very high level of a protein known as suPAR in the blood of patients with COVID-19 may be a predictor of severe respiratory failure, according to new research published in the Journal of Critical Care on April 30. The findings by researchers at Rush University Medical Center and other institutions suggest suPAR could be a potential predictor for which patients with COVID-19 will need to be put on ventilators to help them breathe.
“This is the first report in the world to show that suPAR is elevated in COVID-19 and is predictive. Since suPAR is a reactant of the innate immune system, it’s an indicator of disease severity,” said Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, the Ralph C. Brown, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine, chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush.
“These results show that the higher the plasma suPAR level, the worse the outcome will be in the lungs of these patients,” said Reiser, who is co-correspondent author of the study. “The higher the suPAR level, the shorter the time before patients needed intubation.”
Reiser’s research team tested suPAR levels in 15 Rush patients when they were admitted or tested for COVID-19. The University of Athens Medical School measured 57 patients for suPAR and followed them in their clinical course. Time to intubation was followed and found to be shorter in patients with a higher plasma suPAR.
“There is a body of literature that suPAR is associated with poor outcomes from acute respiratory distress syndrome (a condition in many patients with severe COVID-19) and poor lung functioning in critically ill patients,” Reiser said.
...
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, aka suPAR, is produced in the endobronchial tree in the lungs and by immune cells in the bone marrow and repeatedly has been shown to harm kidneys. In two publications in The New England Journal of Medicine, Reiser’s research showed that chronically elevated blood levels are linked to development of chronic kidney disease, yet a high plasma suPAR also increases the risk for acute kidney injury – a sudden decline in kidney function that can be a severe side effect of general medical procedures.
THREE PORK PLANTS ARE TOP U.S. PRIORITY FOR REOPENING, SAYS PETERSON
PORK AND BEEF PRODUCTION FALTERED THIS MONTH AS PACKING PLANTS SLOWED OR SHUT DOWN SLAUGHTER LINES AS THE VIRUS INFECTED THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES.
By
Chuck Abbott
4/30/2020
National Pork Board
The Trump administration’s top meat-industry priority is reopening three pork plants, now shuttered due to coronavirus outbreaks, that account for 12 percent of U.S. hog slaughter, said the House Agriculture Committee chairman on Wednesday. Labor and public officials said meat production will not revive nationwide unless workers feel safe in the often-crowded processing plants.
Pork and beef production faltered this month as packing plants slowed or shut down slaughter lines as the virus infected thousands of employees. At least 20 workers have died, according to a labor union that represents meat workers. Consumers will face higher meat prices or spot outages of some products in coming weeks, according to an industry analyst.
President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to keep plants operating during the pandemic — overruling state and local officials worried about virus hot spots — and put Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in charge of the effort. The executive order directs meatpackers to follow CDC guidelines on minimizing workers’ exposure to the coronavirus.
“The secretary said this morning their No. 1 priority right now is to open up this plant, the plant in Sioux Falls, [and] the plant in Waterloo,” said House Agriculture chairman Collin Peterson during a news conference in Worthington, Minnesota, home to a JBS pork plant. Peterson said he had spoken to Perdue earlier in the day.
Thanks for this find!
LilFarmer wrote:
“Early Predictor of Severe Respiratory Failure in Patients With COVID-19 Identified
Findings published in Critical Care suggest that high plasma levels of the protein suPAR are associated with worse outcomes
30-Apr-2020 3:15 PM EDT, by Rush University Medical Center Contact Patient Services
Newswise — A very high level of a protein known as suPAR in the blood of patients with COVID-19 may be a predictor of severe respiratory failure, according to new research published in the Journal of Critical Care on April 30. The findings by researchers at Rush University Medical Center and other institutions suggest suPAR could be a potential predictor for which patients with COVID-19 will need to be put on ventilators to help them breathe.
“This is the first report in the world to show that suPAR is elevated in COVID-19 and is predictive. Since suPAR is a reactant of the innate immune system, it’s an indicator of disease severity,” said Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD, the Ralph C. Brown, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine, chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush.
“These results show that the higher the plasma suPAR level, the worse the outcome will be in the lungs of these patients,” said Reiser, who is co-correspondent author of the study. “The higher the suPAR level, the shorter the time before patients needed intubation.”
Reiser’s research team tested suPAR levels in 15 Rush patients when they were admitted or tested for COVID-19. The University of Athens Medical School measured 57 patients for suPAR and followed them in their clinical course. Time to intubation was followed and found to be shorter in patients with a higher plasma suPAR.
“There is a body of literature that suPAR is associated with poor outcomes from acute respiratory distress syndrome (a condition in many patients with severe COVID-19) and poor lung functioning in critically ill patients,” Reiser said.
...
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, aka suPAR, is produced in the endobronchial tree in the lungs and by immune cells in the bone marrow and repeatedly has been shown to harm kidneys. In two publications in The New England Journal of Medicine, Reiser’s research showed that chronically elevated blood levels are linked to development of chronic kidney disease, yet a high plasma suPAR also increases the risk for acute kidney injury – a sudden decline in kidney function that can be a severe side effect of general medical procedures.