Markers of hyperinflammation

The inflammatory events responsible for clinical derangements such as severe infection, sepsis, or septic shock are thought to be similar. Defining different mediators of inflammatory response, and describing failures of multiple immunomodulator studies to reduce morbidity and mortality of clinical sepsis, the author reconsiders the pathogenesis of sepsis. Septic patients may undergo various stages of disease. In each stage a pro- or a anti-inflammatory process may be predominant. Moreover different subgroups of infection, e.g. fungal sepsis, have different characteristics compared to bacterial infection. Future experiments and clinical trial may help defining circumstances under which inhibiting or augmenting endogenous mediators may be a helpful adjunctive therapy for sepsis.