Plasma Biomarkers of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Vary with Body Size in the Absence of Acute Illness

A study examined 8,680 adults without acute illness from the All of Us Research Program to determine whether plasma proteins used as biomarkers of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) vary with body mass index. Researchers analyzed 35 proteins associated with ARDS risk or mortality and found that all four epithelial proteins were lower at higher body mass index. Interleukin-6 and E-selectin were significantly higher, above the 99th percentile of all analyzed proteins. Differences in biomarkers extended to other lung-enriched proteins as well. Chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia showed smaller differences in ARDS biomarkers. The research demonstrates that plasma proteins used as biomarkers vary with body size even without acute illness, which may lead to misinterpretation of results in patients with obesity.