Elevated serum angiopoietin 2 levels are associated with increased mortality in sepsis

The vascular growth factor angiopoietin 2 (Ang-2) is known to promote inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, but its prognostic capacity and relationship to outcomes in human sepsis are unknown. This is a prospective observational cohort study of 66 patients newly admitted to a tertiary care medical intensive care unit (ICU), which included ICU patients with no sepsis (n = 20) as well as those with sepsis (n = 10), severe sepsis (n = 12), and septic shock (n = 24). Clinical data were collected until hospital discharge, and Ang-2 and IL-6 levels were determined on specimens obtained after ICU admission. Serum Ang-2 correlated with IL-6 and severity-of-illness scores. In the septic cohort, circulating Ang-2 levels were significantly higher (P = 0.01) in those who died (24.9 ng/mL; interquartile range, 21.5-38.0 ng/mL) compared with those who survived (13.5 ng/mL; interquartile range, 8.1-21.6 ng/mL). Elevated circulating serum Ang-2 levels are associated with increased hospital mortality in patients with sepsis.