Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37674218›Full record

ArticleCritical care (London, England)2023

Hyperferritinemic sepsis, macrophage activation syndrome, and mortality in a pediatric research network: a causal inference analysis.

Zhenziang Fan, Kate F Kernan, Yidi Qin, Scott Canna, Robert A Berg, David Wessel, Murray M Pollack, Kathleen Meert, Mark Hall, Christopher Newth and 10 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Critical care (London, England), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Evaluation of the effect of therapeutic plasma exchange on serum cytokine levels in pediatric intensive care unit.Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis : official peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy · 2026
    Trial
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  5. Observational
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  7. A novel two-hit murine model of viral-primed sepsis-associated acute kidney injury.American journal of physiology. Renal physiology · 2026
    Article
  8. Observational
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  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
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  15. Article
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  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Hyperferritinemia is Associated with Thrombocytopenia and Increased Mortality Risk in Adult Sepsis Patients: A Retrospective Study of Two Observational Cohorts.Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis
    Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors at 11 institutions in 1 country.

Zhenziang FanDepartment of Computer Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Kate F KernanDivision of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty Pavilion, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Center for Critical Care Nephrology and Clinical Research Investigation and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness Center, University of Pittsburgh, Suite 2000, 4400 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15421, USA.
Yidi QinDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Scott CannaDepartment of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Robert A BergDepartment of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
David WesselDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Murray M PollackDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Kathleen MeertDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA.
Mark HallDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Immune Surveillance Laboratory, and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
Christopher NewthDivision of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
John C LinDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Allan DoctorDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Tom ShanleyDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Tim CornellDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Rick E HarrisonDivision of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Athena F ZuppaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Katherine SwardDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
J Michael DeanDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
H J ParkDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Joseph A CarcilloDivision of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty Pavilion, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Center for Critical Care Nephrology and Clinical Research Investigation and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness Center, University of Pittsburgh, Suite 2000, 4400 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15421, USA. carcilloja@ccm.upmc.edu.
University of Pittsburgh · USChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia · USChildren's Hospital of Pittsburgh · USChildren's National · USC. S. Mott Children's Hospital · USSt. Louis Children's Hospital · USUniversity of Utah · USCentral Michigan University · USChildren's Hospital of Los Angeles · USMattel Children's Hospital · USNationwide Children's Hospital · US

Funding

Data Coordinating Center for the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research NetworkU01HD049934 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI DEAN, JONATHAN MICHAEL · 2005 to 2020
$35.2M
Inflammation Phenotypes in Pediatric Sepsis Induced Multiple Organ Failure RenewalR01GM108618 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI JOSEPH A CARCILLO · 2014 to 2026
$5.4M
Physiologically Guided Ventilator Strategies in ChildrenU10HD050012 · NICHD · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · PI NEWTH, CHRISTOPHER JOHN · 2005 to 2014
$3.7M
Neurodevelopmental Outcome after Cardiac Intensive CareU10HD049981 · NICHD · CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI WESSEL, DAVID LLOYD · 2005 to 2014
$3.7M
Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research NetworkU10HD050096 · NICHD · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · PI MEERT, KATHLEEN L. · 2005 to 2014
$3.2M
Pediatric Critical Care Research Network at Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaU10HD063108 · NICHD · CHILDREN'S HOSP OF PHILADELPHIA · PI BERG, ROBERT ALLEN · 2010 to 2014
$1.4M
Predicting Morbidity from Pediatric Critical CareU10HD063114 · NICHD · PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI DALTON, HEIDI J, LUND, DENNIS P · 2010 to 2014
$1.4M
Collaborative Pediatric Research Critical Care Network(U10)U10HD063106 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI SHANLEY, THOMAS P. · 2010 to 2014
$1.3M
Genetic Variants of Immune Dysregulation and Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Severe Pediatric Sepsis Induced Organ DysfunctionK23GM148827 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Kathryn MARY Kernan · 2023 to 2026
$652k
NIAID NIH HHS L30 AI147146NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD049934NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD049981NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD050012NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD050096NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD063106NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD063108NICHD NIH HHS U10 HD063114NIGMS NIH HHS K23 GM148827NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM108618
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOne of five global deaths are attributable to sepsis. Hyperferritinemic sepsis (> 500 ng/mL) is associated with increased mortality in single-center studies. Our pediatric research network's objective was to obtain rationale for designing anti-inflammatory clinical trials targeting hyperferritinemic sepsis.

methodsWe assessed differences in 32 cytokines, immune depression (low whole blood ex vivo TNF response to endotoxin) and thrombotic microangiopathy (low ADAMTS13 activity) biomarkers, seven viral DNAemias, and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) defined by combined hepatobiliary dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation, and mortality in 117 children with hyperferritinemic sepsis (ferritin level > 500 ng/mL) compared to 280 children with sepsis without hyperferritinemia. Causal inference analysis of these 41 variables, MAS, and mortality was performed.

resultsMortality was increased in children with hyperferritinemic sepsis (27/117, 23% vs 16/280, 5.7%; Odds Ratio = 4.85, 95% CI [2.55-9.60]; z = 4.728; P-value < 0.0001). Hyperferritinemic sepsis had higher C-reactive protein, sCD163, IL-22, IL-18, IL-18 binding protein, MIG/CXCL9, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17a, IFN-γ, IP10/CXCL10, MCP-1/CCL2, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, TNF, MCP-3, IL-2RA (sCD25), IL-16, M-CSF, and SCF levels; lower ADAMTS13 activity, sFasL, whole blood ex vivo TNF response to endotoxin, and TRAIL levels; more Adenovirus, BK virus, and multiple virus DNAemias; and more MAS (P-value < 0.05). Among these variables, only MCP-1/CCL2 (the monocyte chemoattractant protein), MAS, and ferritin levels were directly causally associated with mortality. MCP-1/CCL2 and hyperferritinemia showed direct causal association with depressed ex vivo whole blood TNF response to endotoxin. MCP-1/CCL2 was a mediator of MAS. MCP-1/CCL2 and MAS were mediators of hyperferritinemia.

conclusionsThese findings establish hyperferritinemic sepsis as a high-risk condition characterized by increased cytokinemia, viral DNAemia, thrombotic microangiopathy, immune depression, macrophage activation syndrome, and death. The causal analysis provides rationale for designing anti-inflammatory trials that reduce macrophage activation to improve survival and enhance infection clearance in pediatric hyperferritinemic sepsis.

Indexed as

HyperferritinemiaMacrophage Activation SyndromeSepsisChildCytokinesFerritinsHumansCytokinesFerritinsHyperferritinemic sepsisImmunoparalysisMacrophage activation syndromeMultiple organ failureSevere sepsisThrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure

Identifiers

PMID37674218
PMCPMC10481565
OpenAlexW4386480793

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.