Interferon Gamma-Induced Protein 10 (IP-10) As a Biomarker of Severity In Infants Hospitalized With Acute Bronchiolitis
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Acute bronchiolitis is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, yet reliable biomarkers of disease severity are limited. Interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), an interferon-inducible chemokine, has been proposed as a marker of immune activation in viral infections. Objective: To assess the association between plasma IP-10 levels and clinical severity in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study of 217 infants (0–24 months) admitted with bronchiolitis between December 2018 and January 2023. Demographic and clinical data, complications, and outcomes were extracted from electronic records. Serum IP-10 levels measured at admission were compared across presenting symptoms, complications, and age groups. Results: Median IP-10 levels were higher in infants presenting with fever (p=0.003). Among those aged 4–6 months, hypoxia was significantly associated with elevated IP-10 concentrations (249 [142–381] vs. 135 [100–193]; p=0.003). In contrast, infants ≥12 months demonstrated lower IP-10 levels, particularly in those with atelectasis and in patients requiring heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula therapy. IP-10 concentrations were not associated with duration of respiratory support or length of hospitalization. Conclusions: Plasma IP-10 levels correlated with hypoxia in infants aged 4–6 months, consistent with an acute immune-driven response to viral infection. Conversely, lower IP-10 levels in older infants with atelectasis suggest that airway mechanics and chronic lung pathology, rather than systemic immune activation, drive severity. These findings underscore the heterogeneity of bronchiolitis and highlight the need for close monitoring of infants aged 4–6 months, who may represent a particularly vulnerable subgroup.
Institutions: Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Carmel Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4414004390