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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
07:30
Design of Cecal Ligation and Puncture and Intranasal Infection Dual Model of Sepsis-Induced Immunosuppression
Published on: June 15, 2019
Non-antibiotic strategies for sepsis
1Division of Medicine, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK. j.cohen@bsms.ac.uk
Summary
Sepsis and septic shock are serious conditions with high mortality rates. While antibiotics are crucial, adjunctive therapies targeting bacterial virulence or host responses are needed to improve patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Critical care medicine
- Infectious diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Sepsis and septic shock present significant therapeutic challenges, with high mortality rates (35% for sepsis, 60% for septic shock).
- Current treatments, including broad-spectrum antibiotics and supportive care, have limitations in reducing mortality associated with multiorgan failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review general approaches to non-antibiotic (adjunctive) treatments for sepsis.
- To illustrate principles and challenges in developing adjunctive therapies.
Main Methods:
- Review of general approaches to adjunctive sepsis treatment.
- Categorization of therapies into supportive care improvements, bacterial virulence factor targeting, and host mediator targeting.
Main Results:
- Adjunctive therapies are being developed due to the insufficiency of antibiotics alone in reducing sepsis mortality.
- Three main categories of adjunctive treatments are identified: supportive care, anti-virulence strategies, and host-modulating therapies.
Conclusions:
- Adjunctive therapies are essential to complement antibiotic treatment for sepsis and septic shock.
- Further research and development are needed to overcome hurdles in implementing these novel therapeutic strategies.
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