The impact of age on the innate immune response and outcomes after severe sepsis/septic shock in trauma and surgical ICU patients

Aged, critically ill surgical patients have greater organ dysfunction and incidence of adverse clinical outcomes after sepsis. Biomarker profiles suggest an immunophenotype of persistent immunosuppression and catabolism.... read more

The impact of age on the innate immune response and outcomes after severe sepsis/septic shock in trauma and surgical ICU patients

Blood test may obviate need for head CTs in brain trauma evaluation

A biomarker test based on the presence of two proteins in the blood appears to be suitable for ruling out significant intracranial injuries in patients with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) without the need... read more

Blood test may obviate need for head CTs in brain trauma evaluation

Early PREdiction of Sepsis Using Leukocyte Surface Biomarkers

From a large panel of leukocyte biomarkers, immunosuppression biomarkers were associated with subsequent sepsis in ED patients with suspected acute infection. Between January 2014 and February 2016, we recruited 272, 59 and... read more

Early PREdiction of Sepsis Using Leukocyte Surface Biomarkers

Viral Sepsis in Children

Sepsis in children is typically presumed to be bacterial in origin until proven otherwise, but frequently bacterial cultures ultimately return negative. Although the incidence of viral-induced sepsis is not precisely known,... read more

Circulating Biomarkers May be Unable to Detect Infection at the Early Phase of Sepsis in ICU Patients

During the study period, 363 patients with SIRS were screened, 84 having exclusion criteria. Ninety‑one patients were classified as having non‑septic SIRS and 188 as having sepsis. Eight biomarkers had an area under... read more

Circulating Biomarkers May be Unable to Detect Infection at the Early Phase of Sepsis in ICU Patients

Temporal Biomarker Profiles and Their Association with ICU Acquired Delirium

While there are differences in markers (adiponectin and several brain proteins) between patients with and without delirium, the development of delirium is not preceded by a change in the biomarker profile of inflammatory... read more

Temporal Biomarker Profiles and Their Association with ICU Acquired Delirium

Genomics and Pharmacogenomics of Sepsis: So Close and Yet So Far

Sapru et al. show in this issue of Critical Care that variants of thrombomodulin and the endothelial protein C receptor, but not protein C, are associated with mortality and organ dysfunction (ventilation-free and organ failure-free... read more

Genomics and Pharmacogenomics of Sepsis: So Close and Yet So Far

Biomarkers for Prediction of RRT in AKI

Acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently occurs in critically ill patients and often precipitates use of renal replacement therapy (RRT). However, the ideal circumstances for whether and when to start RRT remain unclear. We performed... read more

Biomarkers for Prediction of RRT in AKI

Evidence for Persistent Immune Suppression in Patients Who Develop Chronic Critical Illness After Sepsis

Many sepsis survivors develop chronic critical illness (CCI) and are assumed to be immunosuppressed, but there is limited clinical evidence to support this. We sought to determine whether the incidence of secondary infections... read more

Evidence for Persistent Immune Suppression in Patients Who Develop Chronic Critical Illness After Sepsis

Do We Need New Trials of Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Therapy?

Using biomarkers as a guide to tailor the duration of antibiotic treatment in respiratory infections is an attractive hypothesis assessed in several studies. Recent work aiming to summarize the evidence assessed the effect... read more

Do We Need New Trials of Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Therapy?

The EM Educator Series: Sepsis in the ED

These posts provide brief mini-cases followed by key questions to consider while working. The featured questions provide important learning points for those working with you, as well as vital items to consider in the evaluation... read more

The EM Educator Series: Sepsis in the ED

Urinary Oxygenation as a Surrogate Measure of Medullary Oxygenation During Angiotensin II Therapy in Septic AKI

In septic acute kidney injury (AKI), renal medullary and urinary hypoxia developed several hours before increases in currently used biomarkers. Angiotensin II transiently improved renal function without worsening medullary... read more

Urinary Oxygenation as a Surrogate Measure of Medullary Oxygenation During Angiotensin II Therapy in Septic AKI

High Morning Cortisol Tied to Long-term Anxiety in Family Members of ICU Patients

A new study published in the journal Critical Care Medicine finds that a biomarker may help identify which family members will be most emotionally impacted by their loved one's ICU stay. In particular, family members who... read more

High Morning Cortisol Tied to Long-term Anxiety in Family Members of ICU Patients

Are Biomarkers Ready for Prime Time?

Kyle Enfield, MD, speaks with John A. Kellum, MD, MCCM, about his talk presented at the 46th Critical Care Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii entitled, "Are Biomarkers Ready for Prime Time?" Dr. Kellum works as an Intensivist in... read more

Updates on Sepsis from WSC

Fourth session from the World Sepsis Congress Spotlight: Maternal and Neonatal Sepsis - Updates on Sepsis.... read more

Updates on Sepsis from WSC

Platelets and Multi-Organ Failure in Sepsis

Platelets have received increasing attention for their role in the pathophysiology of infectious disease, inflammation, and immunity. In sepsis, a low platelet count is a well-known biomarker for disease severity and more... read more

Platelets and Multi-Organ Failure in Sepsis

Translational Evidence for Two Distinct Patterns of Neuroaxonal Injury in Sepsis

Ischemic and diffuse neuroaxonal injury to the brain in experimental sepsis, human postmortem brains, and in vivo MRI suggest these two distinct lesion types to be relevant. Future studies should be focused on body fluid... read more

Translational Evidence for Two Distinct Patterns of Neuroaxonal Injury in Sepsis

Biomarkers in AKI: That’s All the Story?

We would like to add to the recent editorial by McMahon on biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI), with a specific focus on biomarkers in the clinical setting of cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CSA-AKI). We agree with McMahon... read more

Biomarkers in AKI: That’s All the Story?