Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38896372›Full record

ArticleInfection2025

Activation of the MAPK network provides a survival advantage during the course of COVID-19-induced sepsis: a real-world evidence analysis of a multicenter COVID-19 Sepsis Cohort.

Andrea Witowski, Lars Palmowski, Tim Rahmel, Hartmuth Nowak, Stefan F Ehrentraut, Christian Putensen, Thilo von Groote, Alexander Zarbock, Nina Babel, Moritz Anft and 12 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Infection, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

22 authors.

Andrea Witowski *Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Lars Palmowski *Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Tim RahmelKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Hartmuth NowakKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Stefan F EhrentrautKlinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Christian PutensenKlinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Thilo von GrooteKlinik für Anästhesiologie, operative Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Germany.
Alexander ZarbockKlinik für Anästhesiologie, operative Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Germany.
Nina BabelCentrum für Translationale Medizin, Medizinische Klinik I, Marien Hospital Herne, Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Herne, Germany.
Moritz AnftCentrum für Translationale Medizin, Medizinische Klinik I, Marien Hospital Herne, Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Herne, Germany.
Barbara SitekKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Thilo BrachtKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Malte BayerKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Maike WeberMedizinisches Proteom-Center, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Medizinische Fakultät, Bochum, Germany.
Christina WeisheitKlinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Stephanie PfänderResearch Unit Emerging Viruses, Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany.
Martin EisenacherMedizinisches Proteom-Center, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Medizinische Fakultät, Bochum, Germany.
Michael AdamzikKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Rump KatharinaKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
Björn Koos *Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany. Bjoern.Koos@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
Dominik Ziehe *Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, In der Schornau 23-25, 44892, Bochum, Germany.
CovidDataNet.NRW research group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThere is evidence that lower activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network is associated with positive outcomes in mild and moderate courses of COVID-19. The effect of this cascade in COVID-19 sepsis is still undetermined. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network in COVID-19-induced sepsis is associated with an impact on 30-day survival.

methodsWe used biomaterial from 81 prospectively recruited patients from the multicentric CovidDataNet.NRW-study cohort (German clinical trial registry: DRKS00026184) with their collected medical history, vital signs, laboratory parameters, microbiological findings and patient outcome. ERK activity was measured by evaluating ERK phosphorylation using a Proximity Ligation Assay.

resultsAn increased ERK activity at 4 days after diagnosis of COVID-19-induced sepsis was associated with a more than threefold increased chance of survival in an adjusted Cox regression model. ERK activity was independent of other confounders such as Charlson Comorbidity Index or SOFA score (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10-0.84, p = 0.02).

conclusionHigh activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network during the course of COVID-19 sepsis is a protective factor and may indicate recovery of the immune system. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

Indexed as

COVID-19MAP Kinase Signaling SystemSepsisAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhosphorylationProspective StudiesSARS-CoV-2COVID-19ERKMAPKMEKPLARAFSepsis

Identifiers

PMID38896372
PMCPMC11825614

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.