Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and or-gans. It can lead to shock, multiple organ failures and death, especially if it is not recog-nized early and treated promptly. As the symptoms for sepsis are unspecific and similar to other conditions, it remains challenging for the physicians to identify the sepsis pa-tients, especially at an early stage. As time to diagnosis and initiation of adequate antimi-crobial therapy are critical parameters for the outcome of a septic patient, there is an urgent need for new diagnostic approaches for sepsis diagnostics.

Sepsis arises when the body's response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. It can lead to shock, multiple organ failures and death, especially if it is not recognized early and treated promptly.

Nonspecific symtoms

As the symptoms for sepsis are nonspecific and similar to other conditions, it remains challenging for the physicians to identify the sepsis patients, especially at an early stage. As time to diagnosis and initiation of adequate antimicrobial therapy are critical parameters for the outcome of a septic patient, there is an urgent need for new approaches for sepsis diagnostics.

Current biomarkers cannot identify sepsis

Current biomarkers used in sepsis diagnostics cannot accurately identify patients with sepsis. Besides, since sepsis gives rise to a complex host immune response, it appears unlikely that a single biomarker adequately can describe stratify the sepsis syndrome.

We have previously identified tentative multimarker panels with potential of differentiating between septic patients with bacterial cause and those with non-bacterial cause. The multimarker panels consist of a number of microRNAs in combination with clinical routine biomarkers.

25 unique microRNAs

In total, 25 unique microRNAs and three clinical routine biomarkers have been identified previously providing input data to eight candidate models. In the current project, we are going to validate these eight candidate models, miRSeps™. Furthermore, end-user guidelines for the interpretation of the output from miRSeps™ will also be established.

Project in media

• Pressrelease: Multimillion investment in sepsis research at the University by the Knowledge Foundation

More information about Sepsis 

• World Sepsis Day
• Surviving sepsis campaign
• Centers for disease Control and prevention
• International Sepsis Forum 
• Sepsis Alliance
• Sepsis Foundation
• SMARTDIAGNOS.eu