Study of serum HDL-cholesterol levels in sepsis patients and its prognostic significance

Abstract

Background: Sepsis is the second leading cause of mortality in the ICU. Despite advances in aggressive management, sepsis continues to have a high mortality rate, hence a prognostic marker is essential. Recently HDL-cholesterol was found to be have significant association between mortality and its levels. Hence, this study is being conducted to assess the association between sepsis and HDL-C levels.Methods: It is a prospective study conducted in MGMCRI involving 100 sepsis patients. Among them 66 people survived, and 34 people expired. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels and variables required for SOFA score are measured at two intervals, one during admission and on day 5 of admission. The correlation between SOFA scores and HDL-C levels were assessed.Results: Among non-survivors SOFA score was found to be high and low in the survived patients. Similarly, HDL-C values, were high in survived patients and low in dead patients. The correlation between SOFA scores and HDL in both survivors and non survivors, both at the time of admission and at day 5 were found to be statistically significantly correlated.Conclusions: This study proves the significant relationship between the HDL values and the SOFA scores. Hence, HDL-cholesterol levels can be used to measure the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy in cases of sepsis. Rising values of HDL cholesterol favour improvement in clinical condition and falling values imply worsening and there by providing a prognostic indicator.