Current understanding of systemic inflammatory response syndrome
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper analyses current understanding of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), in particular its relationship to sepsis, its role in non-infectious critical conditions, and its representation in the International Classification of Diseases. It is shown that the concept of SIRS has historically played an important role in shaping early definitions of sepsis, however, according to the current ‘Sepsis-3’ definition, sepsis is regarded as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, rather than as a synonym for SIRS. Although the SIRS criteria have been excluded from the current definition of sepsis, they retain their value as a tool for initial clinical screening due to their high sensitivity; however, because of their low specificity, it is not advisable to use them to confirm a diagnosis of sepsis. The current approach to the early detection of sepsis involves combining clinical assessment with the use of scales to confirm severe organ dysfunction, rapid risk stratification, the identification of general clinical deterioration, and laboratory biomarkers, in particular levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, presepsin, interleukin-6, suPAR and lactate. SIRS also remains an important clinical feature of severe non-infectious pathological processes, such as trauma, burns, ischaemia/reperfusion and acute pancreatitis. In the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), there are separate codes for SIRS of infectious and non-infectious aetiology, whilst in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11), there is no separate code for SIRS of infectious aetiology, but a separate code for the non-infectious variant of SIRS is retained. In a military context, the criteria for SIRS can be used as one component of early monitoring of the wounded, in conjunction with clinical assessment, laboratory markers and organ dysfunction assessment scales.
Authors: V. I. Lupaltsov, M. O. Klymenko, A. I. Yagniuk
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7223318142