Effects of Hemoadsorption on Vascular Integrity in Septic Shock

Changes in Syndecan-1 serum levels

Serum Syndecan-1, a marker of endothelial glycocalyx injury, will be measured in arterial blood samples. The outcome is the log-scale change from baseline to the T24 post-baseline Syndecan-1 value in ng/mL. If the T24 value is missing, the value will be considered missing. Negative values indicate a decrease from baseline. Syndecan-1 values will be analysed on the natural logarithmic scale due to expected right skew.

Change in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)-2 score

Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)-2 is an organ dysfunction score used in critically ill patients. SOFA-2 includes 6 organ systems with total score ranging from 0 to 24 (higher scores indicate worse organ dysfunction). Change from baseline will be calculated at each post-baseline assessment and reported in score points.

Change from baseline in arterial blood concentrations of endothelial and glycocalyx-specific markers (Glypican-1, Heparan-sulfate, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, soluble E-selectin, soluble P-selectin)

Arterial blood concentrations of glypican-1, heparan sulfate, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin/CD62E), and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) will be measured in ng/mL. For each biomarker, the change from baseline (T0) will be calculated at each post-baseline assessment. Results will be reported separately for each biomarker; no composite score will be calculated.

Change from baseline in arterial blood concentrations of endothelial markers (MCP-1, VEGF)

Arterial blood concentrations of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (MCP-1/CCL2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) will be measured in pg/mL. For each biomarker, the change from baseline (T0) will be calculated at each post-baseline assessment. Results will be reported separately for each biomarker; no composite score will be calculated.

Change from baseline in quantification cycle values of selected microRNAs associated with endothelial function, vascular homeostasis, and inflammation (miR-126, miR-92a, miR-155, miR-21, miR-23a)

Expression of miR-126, miR-92a, miR-155, miR-21, and miR-23a will be measured in arterial blood samples by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and reported as quantification cycle (Cq) values. For each microRNA, change from baseline at each post-baseline time point will be calculated as the Cq value at that time point minus the corresponding Cq value at baseline (T0). Results will be analyzed and reported separately for each microRNA; no composite or aggregated microRNA score will be calculated. Hemolyzed samples will be excluded from the microRNA analyses.