Use of plasma mitochondrial DNA levels for determining disease severity and prognosis in pediatric sepsis: a case control study

Abstract

[...]mtDNA can drive molecular processes, leading to inflammatory responses and organ injuries [8, 9]. [...]mtDNA has received extensive attention in the study of many diseases including cancer [10], ischemic stroke [11], prediabetes [12], and trauma [13]. Furthermore, patients were divided into the general sepsis group, severe sepsis group, non-sepsis infection group according to the diagnostic criteria. [...]children were also randomly selected for healthy physical examination in our hospital and classified under the normal control group. [...]mtDNA can lead to upregulation of plasma IL-12, splenic apoptosis, and mitochondrial injury in TLR9-associated septic AKI [28]. [...]researchers have focused on TLR4/MEK/ERK/TNF-α signaling, with the aim of developing a method to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction and AKI induced by sepsis [29]. The CRP level is elevated in many inflammatory conditions and in rheumatologic, gastroenterologic, and cardiologic diseases [34]. [...]we suggest that it is better to combine mtDNA and lactate levels in the context of a full clinical examination, in addition to evaluating the presence of other signs and symptoms, to assess the severity of sepsis in children.