Multidimensional assessment of the host response in mechanically ventilated patients with suspected pneumonia

Abstract

We determined the test characteristics of alveolar neutrophilia for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in three cohorts of mechanically ventilated patients. In one cohort, we also isolated macrophages from alveolar lavage fluid and used the transcriptome to identify signatures of bacterial pneumonia. We built WGCNA analysis and LASSO regression model to predict the outcome based on genetic signatures. Finally, we developed a humanized mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia to determine if pathogen-specific signatures can be identified in human alveolar macrophages.