Host Response Biomarkers for Sepsis in the Emergency Room

Hundreds of biomarkers for sepsis have been evaluated in clinical and experimental studies and advocated to be used in the emergency room. They can have diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic or theragnostic value. At the moment, however, only a handful are used by clinicians on a large scale, most notably C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Emerging protein biomarkers include presepsin, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), and proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM). Recent advances in omic technologies have shifted the focus from traditional protein biomarkers to the fields of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. These novel biomarkers require further validation in large and diverse cohorts. Furthermore, costs and need for experienced personnel are important factors to consider when evaluating the practical usability of any of these biomarkers. This review discusses recent literature on biomarkers for sepsis that are relevant in the emergency room.