Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Points• Early treatment of sepsis is associated with improved outcomes so that rapid diagnosis is important.• The diagnosis of sepsis in critically ill patients is challenging, because it can be complicated by the presence of inflammation as a result of other underlying disease processes and prior use of antibiotics making cultures negative.• Culture-dependent diagnosis of infection is slow, and biomarkers may provide a more rapid means of ruling in or out infection.• Given the complexities of the sepsis response, no one biomarker will be sufficient to diagnose sepsis.Combinations of biomarkers are needed, and new technology is helping to speed the development of such panels.• However, such tools cannot be used alone, and they must be seen as complementary to a careful clinical assessment and other laboratory signs.
Source: PLoS Medicine
Author: Jean-Louis Vincent
Institutions: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Erasmus Hospital
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,460
OpenAlex ID: W2398222323