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Gene Expression Profiles in Children With Suspected Sepsis
Fran Balamuth1, Elizabeth R Alpern2, Mengyuan Kan3
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Annals of Emergency Medicine
|January 28, 2020
Summary
Gene expression profiling in children with suspected sepsis may help identify the source pathogen. This approach shows promise for tailoring sepsis treatments and improving antimicrobial stewardship.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Sepsis recognition in children presents a significant clinical challenge.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between peripheral blood gene expression profiles and pathogen type in pediatric sepsis.
- To explore the relationship between gene expression and sepsis severity in children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational pilot study in a pediatric emergency department.
- Analysis of peripheral blood gene expression in children with suspected sepsis (n=122) and healthy controls (n=12).
- Differential gene expression analysis using GeneChip Human Gene 2.0 ST Array.
Main Results:
- Identified 558 differentially expressed genes in children with confirmed bacterial or viral infections compared to controls.
- Many differentially expressed genes were associated with interferon signaling and viral immunity.
- No statistically significant gene expression differences were found concerning sepsis severity.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral blood gene expression profiling is feasible in the pediatric emergency department setting for sepsis evaluation.
- Gene expression profiling may aid in identifying the source pathogen in pediatric sepsis.
- This approach could lead to better-targeted sepsis treatments and enhanced antimicrobial stewardship.
