NCT02163707.

Background The inflammatory chemokine, interferon-gamma inducible protein of 10 kDa (IP-10), is a biomarker associated with several conditions. Objectives This study investigated serum concentrations of IP-10 in healthy individuals who developed acute respiratory infection (ARI). The hypothesis is that serum IP-10 concentrations correlate with ARI severity and detection of viral pathogens. Study design Data come from a randomized controlled trial measuring the effects of mindfulness meditation or exercise on ARI (Clinical Trials ID: NCT01654289). Healthy adults ages 30–69 were followed for a single season for ARI incidence and severity. This trial is ongoing, and the investigators are still blinded. When a participant reported ARI symptoms, nasal swab and lavage for PCR-based viral identification and blood samples were collected within the first 72 hours of ARI symptoms. Serum IP-10 concentrations were measured by ELISA (R&D Systems, Inc. Quantikine ELISA, Minneapolis, MN). ARI severity was measured using the validated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-24) until the ARI episode resolved. RESULTS Serum IP-10 concentrations from 225 ARI episodes correlated with ARI global severity (rho 0.28 [95% CI: 0.15–0.39]; p<0.001). IP-10 concentrations were higher with an ARI in which a viral pathogen was detected compared to no viral pathogen detected (median 366 pg/ml [IQR: 227–486] vs 163 pg/ml [IQR: 127–295], p<0.0001). Influenza infections had higher IP-10 concentrations than coronavirus, enterovirus or rhinovirus, and paramyxovirus. CONCLUSION Serum IP-10 concentration correlates with ARI global severity. Also, IP-10 concentration measured early in the course of the ARI correlates with the daily severity, duration, and illness symptoms.

High doses of psilocybin elicited subjective effects at least as strong as the lower doses and resulted in positive persisting subjective effects 30 days after, indicating that a complete mystical experience was not a prerequisite for positive outcomes.

Elevated IL-10 serum concentrations at clinical presentation of SaB were highly associated with mortality. High intravascular peptidoglycan concentration, driven by a higher level of bacteremia, is a key mediator of IL-10 anti-inflammatory response that portends poor clinical outcome. Using IL-10 as an initial biomarker, clinicians may consider more aggressive antimicrobials for rapid bacterial load reduction in high-risk SaB patients.

Using a large data set (n = 811), the relationship between acute respiratory infection illness severity and inflammatory biomarkers was investigated to determine whether certain symptoms are correlated more closely than others with the inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and nasal neutrophils. Participants with community acquired acute respiratory infection underwent nasal lavage for IL-8 and neutrophil testing, in addition to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for the detection and identification of respiratory viruses. Information about symptoms was obtained throughout the duration of the illness episode using the well-validated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21). Global symptom severity was calculated by the area under the curve (AUC) plotting duration versus WURSS total. Of the specimens tested, 56% were positively identified for one or more of nine different respiratory viruses. During acute respiratory infection illness, both IL-8 and neutrophils positively correlate with AUC (rs = 0.082, P = 0.022; rs = 0.080, P = 0.030). IL-8 and neutrophils correlate with nasal symptom severity: runny nose (r = 0.13, P = <0.00001; r = 0.18, P = <0.003), plugged nose (r = 0.045, P = 0.003; r = 0.14, P = 0.058), and sneezing (r = −0.02, P = <0.0001; r = −0.0055, P = 0.31). Neutrophils correlate with some quality of life measures such as sleeping well (r = 0.15, P = 0.026). Thus, the study demonstrates that IL-8 and neutrophils are correlated with severity of nasal symptoms during acute respiratory infection. Further research is necessary to determine if the concentration of these or other biomarkers can predict the overall duration and severity of acute respiratory infection illness.