Abstract
Post-hoc subgroup analysis of the negative trial of interleukin-1β receptor antagonist (IL1RA) for septic shock suggested that patients with features of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) experienced a 50% relative risk reduction for mortality with treatment. Here we seek a genetic basis for this differential response. From 1341 patients enrolled in the ProCESS trial of early goal directed therapy for septic shock, we selected 6 patients with MAS features and the highest ferritin, for whole exome sequencing (mean 24,030.7 ηg/ml, ±SEM 7,411.1). In total 11 rare (minor allele frequency <5%) pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants causal for the monogenic disorders of Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Familial Mediterranean Fever, and Cryopyrin-associated Periodic Fever were identified. In these conditions, seven of the identified variants are currently targeted with IL1RA and four with anti-C5 antibody. Gene-targeted precision medicine may benefit this subgroup of patients with septic shock and pathogenic immune variation.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Renee Andreko, Vanessa Smith and Ali Smith at the Clinical Research, Investigation, and Systems Modeling of Acute illness (CRISMA) Center, Rahil Sethi, Uma Chandran of the Department of Biomedical Informatics as well as Janette Lamb and Debra Hollingshead of the Genomics Research Core and the University of Pittsburgh for their help in this project.
Funding
This work was funded by NIGMS via R01GM108168 (PHENOMS).
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Drs. Angus and Kellum wish to disclose a consultancy for Sobi, Inc.
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Kernan, K.F., Ghaloul-Gonzalez, L., Shakoory, B. et al. Adults with septic shock and extreme hyperferritinemia exhibit pathogenic immune variation. Genes Immun 20, 520–526 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-018-0030-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-018-0030-3
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