Sepsis is an “overreaction” of the immune system to a virus or bacteria, in which the body attacks not only the invaders, but also its own organs. Many sepsis patients are admitted to hospital with relatively common symptoms such as pain, fever, rapid heart rate and difficulty breathing. However, sepsis is dangerous and can quickly develop into an illness that requires the patient to be admitted to intensive care. Current treatment methods cannot treat sepsis itself, but only its cause and consequences, such as antibiotics to tackle bacteria or fluids and blood pressure boosting agents to support the pumping function of the heart. That is often not enough to prevent damage to the organs.
Wear diagnosis
The biggest problem in the treatment of sepsis is the slow diagnosis. Existing tests require culturing blood samples, which can take several days. But sepsis can quickly worsen and in the meantime damage the organs to such an extent that it leads to permanent disability or even death. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a way to diagnose sepsis more quickly and for a treatment for sepsis.
Accelerate
The PRAETORIAN study, led by researchers Kanin Wichapong and Gerry Nicolaes (Biochemistry department of the Maastricht Cardiovascular Research Institute, CARIM), focuses on accelerating the diagnosis of sepsis by detecting a number of specific immune proteins in the blood of sepsis patients. Remarkably, one of these proteins, called histones, is found in each of the body’s cells and can enter the bloodstream when a bacteria or virus enters the body. These released proteins are then intended to serve as a defense and to neutralize bacteria or viruses. In sepsis, an overreaction occurs, and these proteins can also damage the body’s own organs. The more histones found in the blood, the worse the prognosis for the patient. The researchers want to develop diagnostic methods to quickly and accurately measure the presence and quantity of immune proteins, but also to find ways to inhibit the release of these proteins and thus prevent damage to organs.
European cooperation
The research is a collaboration between the universities of Maastricht, Barcelona, Uppsala, Paris and Münster. The project also aims to train young researchers with unique skills in science, clinical practice and industry to understand the cause of sepsis and assess its impact on patients and their families. In addition to acquiring new knowledge and designing new methods for diagnosis and therapy, explicit attention will also be paid to raising awareness of sepsis as a common disease, which is still relatively unknown to the general public. Each institution will appoint two PhD students who will work together with other scientists, industry and patient organizations to translate scientific insights into diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for use in the clinic. The PRAETORIAN network is coordinated from Maastricht UMC+ and aims to complete the first phases of research in four years, from computer modeling to laboratory testing of potential new medicines.
2024-01-01 06:11:31
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