Sepsis Definitions: A Work in Progress

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• The term
• sepsis
• has a long history, evolving from describing invasive infections to the host's response.
• The Sepsis-3 definition refines understanding, emphasizing dysregulated immunity and organ dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the historical evolution of sepsis definitions.
• To discuss the limitations of past and current sepsis characterizations.
• To highlight the Sepsis-3 definition's focus on immune dysregulation and organ dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of historical and contemporary sepsis definitions.
• Analysis of the conceptual shifts in understanding sepsis.
• Synthesis of the Sepsis-3 criteria and its implications.

Main Results:

• Sepsis definitions have evolved significantly over centuries.
• The Sepsis-3 definition represents a paradigm shift, focusing on the host response.
• Current definitions highlight life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated immune response.

Conclusions:

• Understanding sepsis has progressed from infection-centric to host-response-centric.
• The Sepsis-3 definition provides a more precise framework for a complex disorder.
• Continued research is needed to address the limitations in characterizing sepsis.