suPAR is useful for risk stratification and treatment guidance of COVID-19 patients

An increasing number of studies find suPAR useful for risk stratification and treatment guidance of COVID-19 patients:

• suPAR is an early predictor of some of the most critical COVID-19 outcomes:
• Occurrence of severe respiratory failure and need for mechanical ventilation¹
• Development of acute kidney injury and requirement for dialysis²
• suPAR can also be used to guide treatment by early identification of patients at risk of COVID-19-caused pneumonia develops into respiratory failure³

Using admission suPAR levels for COVID-19 patients, physicians can identify low-risk patients for early discharge to reduce the pressure on COVID-19 hospitals, i.e., at emergency departments and in intensive care units ^4,5. Furthermore, using suPAR in triaging, physicians can identify high-risk patients early.

COVID-19 hospitals using suPAR for risk stratification might experience:

• Improved patient care with fewer unnecessary admissions, fewer re-admissions, early treatment intervention, and shorter length-of-stay
• Empowered clinical staff with more information to make confident decisions reducing stress and uncertainty
• Reduced healthcare costs

“suPAR can be a strong tool for the much-needed early risk stratification of patients with COVID-19.”

Prof. Ove Andersen, MD, PhD, DmSc, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Denmark. suPAR News Vol. 3, June 2020

< 4

suPAR level below 4 ng/ml

Supports discharge

> 6

suPAR level above 6 ng/ml

Supports hospitalization