Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
Pediatric sepsis biomarkers for prognostic and predictive enrichment
1Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, USA. hector.wong@cchmc.org.
Insights
Biomarkers for sepsis in children can predict poor outcomes and identify patient subgroups for targeted treatments, advancing precision medicine beyond simple diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care
- Infectious diseases
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Sepsis is a significant global health concern in children.
- Early sepsis recognition is crucial, driving interest in diagnostic biomarkers.
- Current focus is on diagnostic biomarkers, overlooking other applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore underutilized applications of sepsis biomarkers in pediatric patients.
- To highlight the role of biomarkers in predicting sepsis outcomes and organ dysfunction.
- To discuss biomarkers for identifying patient subgroups for precision medicine.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pediatric sepsis biomarkers.
- Analysis of biomarker utility beyond diagnosis.
- Focus on prognostic and predictive enrichment concepts.
Main Results:
- Sepsis biomarkers can indicate risk of poor outcomes.
- Biomarkers help assess risk for sepsis-related organ dysfunction.
- Biomarkers can define patient subgroups with distinct biological features.
Conclusions:
- Biomarkers offer valuable prognostic and predictive information in pediatric sepsis.
- These applications support precision medicine approaches for targeted therapies.
- Expanding biomarker use beyond diagnosis is essential for improved pediatric sepsis care.
Abstract:
Sepsis is a major public health problem in children throughout the world. Given that the treatment guidelines emphasize early recognition, there is interest in developing biomarkers of sepsis, and most attention is focused on diagnostic biomarkers. While there is a need for ongoing discovery and development of diagnostic biomarkers for sepsis, this review will focus on less well-known applications of sepsis biomarkers. Among patients with sepsis, the biomarkers can give information regarding the risk of poor outcome from sepsis, risk of sepsis-related organ dysfunction, and subgroups of patients with sepsis who share underlying biological features potentially amenable to targeted therapeutics. These types of biomarkers, beyond the traditional concept of diagnosis, address the important concepts of prognostic and predictive enrichment, which are key components of bringing the promise of precision medicine to the bedside of children with sepsis.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
01:30Acute Kidney Injury IV: Diagnostic Studies and Prevention
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism