The Involvement of Endothelin-1 in Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction-A Novel Biomarker in Patient Assessment

Sepsis represents a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, and is considered a medical emergency. Therefore, quick diagnosis and treatment are required in order to improve survivability. Currently, patient evaluation in sepsis is based on the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score to determine the severity of the disease; however, novel biomarkers are also actively researched with the aim to develop quicker diagnostic tools and better therapy. Endothelin-1 is one of the most potent vasoconstrictors found in the human body and is involved in the pathophysiology of both sepsis and other conditions involving organs that make up the SOFA score. In this narrative review, we aimed to gather information of this peptide's multiple effects and to help determine whether or not it could prove a valuable biomarker in the evaluation of patients with multi-organ dysfunction in sepsis.