Association of serum interleukin-2 with severity and prognosis of community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Prior research has shown that interleukin-2 (IL-2) exerts important roles in the pathological and physiological processes of lung diseases. However, it's still uncertain whether IL-2 has a role in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Through a prospective cohort study, our research will explore the correlation between serum IL-2 levels and the severity and prognosis of CAP patients. Methods: There were 267 CAP patients included. Blood samples were obtained. Serum IL-2 was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic traits and clinical characteristics were extracted. Results: Correlation study revealed that physiological parameters including liver and renal function were connected with serum IL-2 in CAP patients. According to a logistic regression analysis, serum IL-2 were positively correlated with CAP severity scores. We also tracked the prognostic outcomes of CAP patients and observed an increased risk of adverse prognosis with higher levels of IL-2 in admission. Conclusions: CAP patients' severe conditions and poor prognosis were positively linked with serum IL-2 at admission, indicated that IL-2 may be connected to the development of CAP. As a result, serum IL-2 may be an available biomarker to guide clinicians in diagnosing CAP and determining prognosis.