INTRODUCTION: Prognostic biomarkers in asthma are needed. The biomarker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has been associated with asthma control and with prognosis in acutely admitted medical patients. We investigated if suPAR and blood eosinophil counts at the time of admission for asthma are associated with readmission and mortality.

METHODS: Our cohort comprised 1341 patients (median age 45.3, IQR 30.1-63.1) acutely admitted with a diagnosis of asthma to Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark (November 2013 to March 2017). Patients had suPAR and blood eosinophils measured at admission. Outcomes were 365-day readmission and all-cause mortality. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, C-reactive protein, and Charlson comorbidity score was used to assess the association of the two biomarkers with readmission and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS: Compared to event-free patients, patients who were either readmitted (n = 452, 42.3%) or died (n = 57, 5.3%) had significantly higher suPAR concentrations (p < 0.0001) and lower eosinophil counts (p = 0.0031) at admission. The highest odds of readmission or mortality were observed for patients in either the 4th suPAR quartile (p < 0.0001) or with eosinophil counts < 150 cells/μL at admission. Increasing levels of suPAR were associated with 365-day readmission (OR 1.3 [1.0-1.6]; p = 0.05) and mortality (OR 2.9 [1.7-5.1]; p = 0.0002). Eosinophil count > 300 cells/μL was significantly associated with lower odds of readmission (OR 0.64 [0.5-0.9]; p = 0.005) and lower mortality (OR 0.7 [0.6-0.9]; p = 0.0007).

CONCLUSIONS: In patients acutely admitted with asthma, elevated suPAR concentrations together with blood eosinophil count < 150 cells/μL at the time of hospital admission were associated with both 365-day all-cause readmission and mortality.