New hope for bird flu patients
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Mortality predictions based on angiotensin II levels are as good as - or better than - those based on other common clinical parameters, such as blood oxygen levels, Li says.
In a second study, researchers found that people with H5N1 avian influenza also have elevated angiotensin II levels.
Moreover, they report that experimental infections of mice with the H5N1 virus leads to increased angiotensin II levels and decreased levels of ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), a protein that reduces levels of angiotensin II.
Researchers say these papers may be helpful in clinical practice, and further studies must be conducted to validate angiotensin II as a useful biomarker and assess the potential therapeutic effect of ACE2. These studies provide new perspectives into the disease progression of avian flu patients, says Ed Gerstner, executive editor of Nature Communications.
The H7N9 virus can cause acute and lethal respiratory failure. China has reported at least 120 human H7N9 cases this year, including at least 39 deaths.
