The
early prediction or diagnosis of
sepsis advantageously allows for clinical intervention before the
disease rapidly progresses beyond initial stages to the more severe stages, such as
severe sepsis or
septic shock, which are associated with
high mortality.
Early prediction or diagnosis is accomplished using a
molecular diagnostics approach, involving comparing an individual's profile of biomarker expression to profiles obtained from one or more control, or reference, populations, which may include a
population that develops
sepsis. Recognition of features in the individual's biomarker profile that are characteristic of the onset of
sepsis allows a clinician to diagnose the onset of sepsis from a bodily fluid isolated at the individual at a
single point in time. The necessity of monitoring the patient over a period of time is, therefore, avoided, advantageously allowing clinical intervention before the onset of serious symptoms of sepsis. Further, because the biomarker expression is assayed for its profile, identification of the particular biomarkers is unnecessary. The comparison of an individual's biomarker profile to biomarker profiles of appropriate reference populations likewise can be used to diagnose SIRS in the individual.