Biomarkers to guide sepsis management

Sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Precision therapeutics are now regarded as a novel prospective to improve outcome. This approach relies on biomarkers to identify a pathway of pathogenesis which prevails and directs the best available therapeutic option to modulate this pathway. This review provides the most recent findings on biomarkers for bacterial or viral sepsis. These biomarkers provide guidance for prompt diagnosis and management tailored to specific needs.

Keywords relative to sepsis management (early recognition, antibiotic administration, selection of fluids, vasopressors and immunotherapy) were searched across PubMed database. Published evidence the last five years exists for heparin-binding protein (HBP), monocyte distribution width (MDW), interleukin-10 (IL-10), presepsin, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) for early sepsis diagnosis; procalcitonin is the most well-studied biomarker for antibiotic guidance. Endothelial and cardiac biomarkers have been explored as tools to tailor circulatory support in sepsis, including fluid therapy, and the targeted use of vasopressors for vascular tone optimization.

This review explored how biomarkers can optimize immunomodulatory therapies, guide vasopressor initiation, inform antibiotic stewardship, and aid in fluid resuscitation decisions, ultimately improving patient outcomes.