Predictive Value of Serum β2-Microglobulin for 28-Day Mortality in Sepsis Patients in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is an infection-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome with high morbidity and mortality. β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), a low-molecular-weight protein involved in immune processes, shows potential for predicting the prognosis of various diseases. However, its role in sepsis prognosis remains unclear, necessitating further exploration.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of serum β2-MG for 28-day mortality in sepsis patients and compare it with traditional indicators such as sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores and lactate (Lac) levels.

METHODS

A total of 346 sepsis patients were included in this single-center retrospective study conducted at the emergency department of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital. Clinical and biochemical indicators, including β2-MG, SOFA scores, and Lac levels, were collected. Predictive ability was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and binary logistic regression models, and β2-MG was compared to SOFA scores and Lac levels.

RESULTS

β2-MG was significantly correlated with 28-day mortality and identified as an independent risk factor (P<0.001, OR=1.142, 95% CI: 1.083-1.204). The sensitivity of β2-MG was 94%, and its specificity was 77% for predicting 28-day mortality. Combining β2-MG with SOFA scores increased sensitivity to 94%, while combining it with Lac improved specificity to 88.9%. ROC analysis showed that β2-MG's predictive accuracy improved significantly when combined with these indicators.

CONCLUSION

The serum level of β2-MG is an independent predictor of 28-day mortality in sepsis patients. While less sensitive and specific than SOFA scores and lactate, combining β2-MG with these markers improves predictive accuracy, offering complementary prognostic value.