The predictive value of heparin-binding protein for bacterial infections in patients with severe polytrauma

Introduction: Heparin-binding protein is an inflammatory factor with predictive value for sepsis and participates in the inflammatory response through antibacterial effects, chemotaxis, and increased vascular permeability. The role of heparin-binding protein in sepsis has been progressively demonstrated, but few studies have been conducted in the context of polytrauma combined with bacterial infections. This study aims to investigate the predictive value of heparin-binding protein for bacterial infections in patients with severe polytrauma.

Materials and methods: This is a prospective single-center study. Patients with polytrauma in the emergency intensive care unit were selected for the study, and plasma heparin-binding protein concentrations and other laboratory parameters were measured within 48 hours of admission to the hospital. A two-sample comparison and univariate logistic regression analysis investigated the relationship between heparin-binding protein and bacterial infection in polytrauma patients. A multifactor logistic regression model was constructed, and the ROC curve was plotted.

Results: Ninety-seven patients with polytrauma were included in the study, 43 with bacterial infection and 54 without infection. Heparin-binding protein was higher in the infected group than in the control group [(32.00±3.20) ng/mL vs. (18.52±1.33) ng/mL, P = 0.001]. Univariate logistic regression analysis shows that heparin-binding protein is related to bacterial infection (OR = 1.10, Z = 3.91, 95%CI:1.05~1.15, P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression equations showed that patients were 1.12 times more likely to have bacterial infections for each value of heparin-binding protein increase, holding neutrophils and Procalcitonin (PCT) constant. ROC analysis shows that heparin-binding protein combined with neutrophils and PCT has better predictive value for bacterial infection [AUC = 0.935, 95%CI:0.870~0.977].

Conclusions: Heparin-binding protein may predict bacterial infection in patients with severe polytrauma. Combining heparin-binding protein, PCT, and neutrophils may improve bacterial infection prediction.